


Green Hill Academy - The Tale of What Could Have Been

by IgpayAtinlay



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, High School, Murder-Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:13:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 73
Words: 107,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26267035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IgpayAtinlay/pseuds/IgpayAtinlay
Summary: A pessimistic quick-thinker, an impulsive thrill-seeker, a goofy school teacher and a troubled young charmer, which of these four, the police sit and wonder, which of these four is capable of murder? The death of a master, the disappearance of a traveller, the suicide of a prince and the combustion of a fighter, Green Hill Academy, with trouble at its center, is a Sonic high school fanfiction quite like no other.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**\--Silver POV--**

This world was devastated before I was born. A harsh, bleak place, where we live in eternal darkness. Life is a struggle, and people live without hope. How did this happen? I asked the questions that nobody dared to ask. The locals wouldn't answer them either. The people who were old enough to know were also old enough to fear the truth. So, I turned to my history teacher Professor Mephiles for the answers. And he too didn't answer me directly. He showed me instead. He took me on a trip to the past three weeks ago, as an extracurricular activity. Just me and him. He allowed me to see the destruction of the world, and how the flames of disaster sealed within Princess Elise were released as she cried. This ending was inevitable. We couldn't avoid it, only prolong what good things we had before. But she wasn't to know about any of this, that the entire world depended on her emotional stability, and even if she did know there's no way she'd have been able to contain the flames forever.

I got to know a lot of people in the city. We shared stories, and helped each other to survive, but there was only one person who shared my views on the world. My friend Blaze, she was by far the kindest, most wonderful resident of Crisis City. No other person I know would have sacrificed themselves so selflessly to try to save the world. She and I would fight Iblis almost weekly, preventing it from destroying our world further. This endless feud between us - it eventually became tedious. We had to think of something else.

She was so brave. The fear of the unknown was practically non-existent to Blaze. Too bad her attempts to put an end to our pain didn't work out for her. She's definitely alive somewhere else, in another dimension, having a better life, because nothing can get much worse than this. A city, ravaged by lava and flames and smoke and fireballs... what are the chances of there ever being anything worse than this? She'll be fine. I don't need to worry about her. What I need to worry about is myself. My own life.

_It's no use, Silver. Quit trying. You know you're never gonna win. Especially not without her._

It's so crazy, what I want to do. All my life I've tried to get people out of this mess. People have tried, many times, but when the fear takes over... It's hopeless. We couldn't beat Iblis down if we had twenty thousand bulldozers which would all respond on command, all armed with water guns and lava-proof tires. I've seen the past now, I know what it's like. It's better there. There are more opportunities for a better life there, albeit there's way more crime and it's full of paedophiles and idiots with nukes and stuff, but it's still life with hope. You win, Iblis. I get it, I'm a loser. I shouldn't have even tried to defeat you and neither should anyone else.

_Think for yourself, for once._

The clock in my English class seems to be ticking slower every time I look at it. Time flies until I look at the goddamn clock. Why do we have to learn about Shakespeare anyway? It's not like he's alive anymore. Like he's gonna write some new soppy love story for those literature freaks to bawl their eyes out over. He's not even a Mobian. Why can't English be like French? Learning new words, getting the grammar right? I still can't get the hang of affects and effects and how many C's are in necessary. If it takes me three tries each to get those right then what about words like pneumonoultramicroscipicsilicovolcanoconiosis? I can do those! Why can't we do more stuff like that?

The sound of my English teacher thumping my desk wrenches me out of my digressive thought pattern.

"Silver! What did I just say?"

_You're in for it now, you goof..._

"Uhh... I don't know, Ma'am." 

"Then listen! Do you want to pass your exams or not?"

"W-well yeah, I-"

"SILENCE! If you get distracted _one more time_ , I'll have to give you a detention. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am..."

Rhetorical questions. I've never gotten the hang of them, spoken or on paper. She lets me off just this once, but very soon, I won't need to care about detentions anymore. Making a detailed plan of how I'm gonna pull off this stunt is the only way I'm gonna get myself through the rest of this lesson.

I know that Professor Mephiles has the purple Chaos Emerald, or at least he had it three weeks ago, and I saw him getting it out of one of his locked cabinets in the History classroom. I wan't supposed to have seen it. I showed up early that day just to be sure that I wasn't gonna miss the trip. That was before I knew nobody else was going. He used the emerald to go to the past. If I want to go to the past, I'm gonna need to get that emerald, but to get it I'm going to have to get past all the teachers, then through a double lock on the classroom door, and into a cabinet, also locked. I'll use my Psychokinesis to bust the lock on the door, I've done that so many times before that I could do it with my eyes closed now. I've never tried the cabinets, and they're a different type of lock, so they won't be as easy to crack open.

It's not long before the bell rings, signalling that break time has finally begun. I need to be the last out. I need everybody to have cleared off before I can even think about busting those locks. I take my time packing away, putting all the dictionaries back on the shelves, lining them up as neatly as I can, and then I move on to the workbooks, stacking them in alternate orientations so the thickness of the stapled side doesn't cause the ones on the top to slide off, and by the time I'm done everyone's gone. I step away and admire the masterpiece that I have created. A high-school classroom has never looked this good. My teacher looks up at me from her desk. She seems pleased with my organization skills, at least.

My friends don't know about my escape plan. I think I should probably tell them. I grab a bit of lined paper off the shelf before I leave, tear it into two pieces, one for Tikal and one for Emerl, and scrawl on each note in smudgy pencil simply that I "Need to go". I slip them through the gaps in their locker doors halfway down the corridor, and continue onward to the History classroom. Professor Mephiles is on campus duty on Wednesdays, so I shouldn't run into any issues.

It's a while before I get there. I'm about to check the door when I'm startled by footsteps behind me. And then I hear a voice which anyone would recognize immediately. Thank god it's nobody else, or I'd be really screwed.

"You should be outside, Silver, it's a wonderful day, what are you doing in here?"

_Yeah wonderful, Professor Gamma. Really wonderful. The smoke still hasn't lifted from three days ago._

I turn round to face my math teacher, trying to look as least suspicious as I can. He'll want to know what I'm doing snooping around the door of a dark classroom, when there's clearly no way in. Anybody would be curious of that, even artificial intelligence like Gamma.

"I need to find my History book for some homework I've gotta do. It's due in for tomorrow and I kinda forgot to grab my book last lesson."

He replies in monotone, as he always does. "Professor Mephiles is on campus duty right now so I will retrieve a key."

"Uh... yeah okay, thanks Professor."

Being a trustworthy student really pays in situations like these. If I was anything like Emerl I'd be being escorted out of the building by a security bot right about now. Gamma disappears into the Staff Room and returns a minute later with a key on a lanyard.

"Return the key to the Staff Room when you are done." He hands me the key. I thank him again and head into the classroom.

The cupboard is in the far corner. The books are in the other corner opposite the cupboard. If anyone looks through the window and sees me messing with the cupboard they're bound to get suspicious, so I'm gonna have to look through all the book boxes whilst being at the boxes at the same time as hacking a lock that's way across the room at the same time as keeping an eye on the windows. Multi-tasking has never been my strong point but now it's my only chance of success. I have to multitask whether I want to or not.

I pull a Year 7 box off the shelf. I'm in Year 10 but I want to draw this out as much as possible. I empty the box one-handed with my Psychokinesis whilst using my other hand to send even more signals to the lock and soon I've got a good grip on it. My heart starts beating like crazy, as if I've just run a marathon. I've never been so nervous in my life. This is it now, I must follow this through. I make a mental chain and tie the cupboard to the wall, then imagine a rope coming from the lock all the way to my hand and I pull with all my might, but nothing happens to the cupboard; every single book box in the room launches off the shelves and zoom past me at terrifying speeds, and smash into the wall all at once. I freeze on the spot, my heart pumping on overdrive.

_How... what did I just do...? This has never gone so wrong! My powers always listen to me! Why not now?_

I sweep all the books up in one hand motion, and frantically sort them into their correct boxes whilst still trying to bust the lock. It doesn't take long to clean up the mess but that goddamn cupboard just won't open! I lose all sense of caution and run up to it and kick it with all the force I can muster. The crash is deafening but after a few more kicks, the door swings open, and inside... nothing. Nothing. No emerald. Nothing. I begin hyperventilating. How could I be so stupid? Of _course_ he won't keep it in here! I frantically break down the other cupboards, just in case he moved it, and I'm filled with relief when I see it, down in the bottom right corner of the final cupboard, there, glowing away, just waiting for somebody to use it. There really _is_ a god. I take a moment to breathe, and look around one last time, very carefully, just to make doubly sure that nobody is watching me, and I'm sure there isn't, until I come across a little red blinking light above the door.

_Frick. The cameras._

I need to get out of here _now_. I grab the emerald and raise it above my head, and concentrate as hard as I can on the Chaos energy radiating from its core, wrapping itself around my body, our powers combining to make one capable of warping space and time. I picture Soleanna in my mind. A beautiful city with sun and water and plants, hopefully with some nice people, no fire, and I'm ready. I can't believe I'm giving up like this. All I've got to do now is say those words, but it just feels so wrong. All these people who gave their lives in exchange for nothing and I'm running away like the selfish idiot I am. At least I can say that I tried. I grip the emerald as tight as I can, and brace myself as I chant,

"CHAOS... CONTROL!"


	2. Chapter 2

**\--Silver POV--**

"AGHHHHHH!"

I launch out of the time portal and splash face first into deep water. It's cold, and I don't like it one bit. I never learned to swim when I was younger. I never had much of a reason to. My frantic splashing seems to work though, and somehow I make my way to the edge of the water. One look around convinces me that I have made the right decision - no fire, no smoke, no lava anywhere to be seen. And that colour... blue... it's beautiful and it's everywhere. I have never seen so much blue in one place in my entire life. And the people everywhere, they all look so happy to be here. I admire the buildings. Such beautiful architecture surrounds the fountain... which, after a while, I remember I am still in. The clock tower behind me chimes a tuneful little song, and the people hear and begin walking in the same direction and congregate on the large suspension bridge over the river. There must be some event on today. After further observation, I recognize the river. The river I remember from my time had evaporated, and was, or will be, a gaping cavity in the ground full of skeletons and old bicycles. How could a beautiful world like this be destroyed so mercilessly? It beats me.

I attempt to pull myself out of the fountain, but I only get halfway before falling back a little, then suddenly somebody grabs me and drags me out the rest of the way. I look up at them. A tall rabbit with long ears and an orange dress puts me down on the ground next to the fountain and sits beside me, and a smaller, younger rabbit clutching a strange little animal whose species I don't quite recognize kneels at my other side. The woman looks at me quizzically.

"Did you just fall into the fountain?" she asks, as if it isn't obvious. I'm tempted to jump up and run. I don't like strangers. You never know what one can do to you. But this stranger seems nice and kind. She did just drag me out of a fountain, after all. Maybe the people here are different to how they were portrayed in the books.

"Uh, y-yeah. I did."

"Oh you poor soul. Are you hurt?"

I was too preoccupied with my surroundings to pay attention to any possible injuries. A quick check assures me that no, I am not hurt. I answer her questions, and convince her that there is really nothing to worry about, but at the first moment of silence the kid pipes up and asks the one question that I prayed nobody would ask, "You have a funny accent, mister Hedgehog. Where are you from?"

_Crap..._

I could lie. I could say that I'm from some remote area near Westopolis which nobody will ever have heard of because they refuse to live publicly and don't want their name on a map and I'd be breaking rules by telling them so they'd better keep quiet about it, but I'm not sure Westopolis even exists yet. I change the subject quickly to something much more important. "That doesn't matter but... what date is it?"

"Why, it's October 22nd 2006! The Festival of Sun is today, is that not what you're here for? Or do you have memory loss? Did you hit your head? Are you..." As soon as the answer leaves the woman's mouth, I descend into major panic mode, unable to distinguish anything past the word "loss". No, I did not lose my memory. My memory's working absolutely fine.

_We need to leave. Now._

"I-It's not safe here... people... r-robots, they're gonna-"

"Robots?"

A look of confusion arises upon their faces. They're nice people, but I can't tell them anything. Not without risking my own existence. I look at them, then shake my head.

"Y-You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Just get out of here. Also thank you for helping me out of the fountain."

Before they can say anything I get up off my knees and start walking towards what seems to be the exit of the festival, but after a few steps, a low rumbling sound reaches us, and the associated ground-shaking follows shortly after. I turn around with caution, thinking the worst and knowing I'm right. Thousands of robots swarm above us, moving in circles above the bridge. Their shadows black out whatever sunlight was left and their little blinking red and yellow lights reflect in the river, turning the surrounding area a deep shade of orange. The colour of fire. The colour of lava. The colour of Iblis.

_This is it. This is the day of disaster._

The rabbits are still over at the fountain. It just doesn't feel right to leave them. They got me out of that fountain. They made sure I wasn't hurt. I could at least get them to safety too. I run over to them as fast as I can and yell at them to get out of here right now. I don't have to tell them twice. We sprint together out of the festival grounds and I follow them into an area full of vehicles that I've read about in the history books. I quote the text in my head as I'm running: _"One of_ _the most important and iconic human inventions, a modification of the steam engine, first powered with oils and gas and then powered with electricity, the twenty-first century electric hybrid car could transport almost anything of a size smaller than its own."_ We weave through the car park and hide behind a trailer. The noise level of the robots increases another notch, and the ground quakes even more, causing bricks to fall from buildings, and trees to detach from their roots. The little girl looks up at me with fear and shouts to me, "Mister! How did you know about the robots?"

I suddenly don't care about risking my own existence anymore. I'm not even alive yet anyway. It's a strange thing to comprehend, that just by being here I've created a whole other timeline, and somewhere in another universe the original timeline is still going, just missing me. Keeping my origin a secret isn't even worth the effort. I'd rather die than live in a world like that one anyway. Take me anywhere, _anywhere_ , and I would happily live there instead, alive or dead. I look down at the kid and explain everything, being careful to omit any gory details. I'm sure her mother wouldn't approve. I try to avoid talking about a lot of my own life story, but there's just something about these people that makes me tell them everything. The woman becomes my therapist for a while. I find out that her name is Vanilla, and the kid's called Cream. The little animal is something called a "Chao" and I vaguely remember reading a news story about their entire species going extinct 3 years ago, or should I say, about 200 years from now. All this chaos going on behind us and we're sat here talking about Chao... They're weird little things. Their eyes are too big for their heads and the little floaty orb things defy the laws of science yet they still stay in the air, and according to all laws of aviation there is no way that the Chao should be able to fly. It's wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground, but it still flies anyway. I guess Chao don't care what science thinks is impossible.

At some point during the conversation all the commotion had stopped. The sky went back to normal and all the robots had left. We deem it safe to move. I walk behind Vanilla and Cream as they navigate the car park trying to find their own vehicle. I shouldn't be following them but I have nowhere else to go. I probably should have thought about an accommodation plan before coming here, instead of leaving it until now. I have no money that would be worth anything in this time so I can't rent out a room or anything. I'm gonna have to ask the rabbits. I know they won't like it, a randomer, claiming to be from the future, asking to crash at their house for god-knows how long, but they are literally my only hope of not being one of those rough-sleeper kids who get raped on the street and kidnapped by old people on motorcycles. If I'm gonna ask, I need to hurry up and do it before they get to their car.

"Um... Vanilla... seeing as I have nowhere else to go, I mean... I have no family here or anything... may I-"

"Silver. You could have just saved out lives. If you need a place to stay, feel free. We have a spare room at ours. It's the least we can do, right Cream?" The kid looks up at her, confused.

"But what about stranger danger?"

"He's just a boy. I'm sure he's not dangerous. Don't you worry, my child."

_Well that was easier than expected._

But why would she let me stay without any convincing whatsoever? Cream's right - I _am_ a stranger. A stranger who could easily be lying and using people for my own personal benefit, possibly plotting to kill them all or coming to gather potentially harmful information and spread around all their secrets to set off some sort of scandal about their family. That's not what I'm doing but I can see people thinking that it is. Either this woman knows exactly what she's doing or she's incredibly stupid, and right now the latter seems most likely.

The car journey is a long one. Three hours in absolute silence to a city on the outskirts of a countryside called Green Hill Zone by the signposts, with the city itself appearing to be named after the area. It's bigger than Soleanna, grander, with less water and more concrete and it smells industrial. It doesn't at all live up to its name. Maybe at some point, I dunno, thirty or forty years ago, this place was in fact a Green Hill, maybe with the grass mowed in different directions so it looks like stripes or a checkerboard, with space to run around and waterfalls visible from miles away. That's what the countryside looked like when we were in it about an hour ago, and I'd never seen anything quite like it in person, but these people don't live there. They're city folk. Vanilla continues driving on, occasionally allowing other drivers to leave junctions before her, curving round roundabouts so smoothly yet worryingly fast, getting all the green lights and sometimes swerving for the odd pigeon so they don't die, cursing quietly under her breath when they come dangerously close to the wheels. I'd never have thought a woman who seems as well-mannered and polite as her would be capable of using such profanities, some of which I've never even heard before myself. It's a good job that Cream and the Chao are fast asleep. I swear that thing knows English.

Their house is extraordinarily ordinary. Nothing at all screams "Get out of here right now, this woman's a madman" at me, which is probably just as anxiety-inducing as it would be if there was. The car comes to a halt just in front of the door. Vanilla is the first to leave, coming round to the back of the car to wake up Cream and tell her that we're home now. My legs shake as I climb out of the right-hand side, the sounds and smells and sights are all so unfamiliar that they begin to seem like the creation of an alien civilization on a planet completely separate from this one. Almost like Earth, but Earth's full of war and nobody over there cares about mowing the grass in the countryside. They don't even seem to care that our scientists are studying their planet. Either that or their dumbasses are too technologically amateur to pick up the signals. Or maybe our signals aren't the right kind. It wouldn't surprise me, seeing as Earth is 11,763,222 light years from Mobius in a parallel dimension and different time zone in a region made up of dark matter. Inside the house is a lot more like what I'm used to. Soft, pinkish lighting, no harsh whites or blues anywhere other than on myself, yet the smell is still foreign to me. If I still stand a chance of fitting in here I'm going to have to get used to stuff like that, but a quick tour of the house assures me that life here is going to be the most challenging thing, more so than the smells.


	3. Chapter 3

**\--Vanilla POV--**

Every single day out I ever try to have always goes badly. First the car breaks down, then Cream breaks her leg and now the entire population of Soleanna is fleeing from robots. If it wasn't for Silver I'm not sure we'd have ever seen this house again. The poor kid looked so scared, it was the least I could do to let him stay for a while, maybe longer if he's no trouble, but if it was any other kid I wouldn't have let them. A teenage boy claiming to be from a post-apocalyptic future is probably the least believable thing that anyone could possibly hear. Predicting the robot invasion made his story seem slightly more truthful but that in itself still wouldn't be enough to convince the likes of me. Ah, Cream, the clever girl, she knows about stranger danger but this hedgehog isn't a stranger. I recognize him. He and another hedgehog, black with gray stripes if I remember correctly, were walking around the city a few weeks ago. The darker one seemed to be lecturing him about "life in the past" being very "care-free" and "more casual" than in their "time", and warning him that they mustn't be seen or heard. I had no idea what they meant, I just brushed it off as either a silly little public scare or a rehearsal for a show of some kind, but it all makes sense now. Silver really is from the future and he really hasn't got anywhere to stay.

The rest of the day is simple enough. I leave the children upstairs to get to know each other, and let Silver settle in. My, I must have been stressed out earlier, coffee never usually sees the outside of the cupboard, but by six o'clock I'd gone down my second cup. I catch the shine of Silver's boots in the corner of my eye. They're certainly a strange pair. Only metal would shine like that. Bulletproof boots. But in a land full of fire and lava wouldn't heat resistance be more suitable?

The sky outside quickly turns from a deep blue to a dark pink. Sunsets like these remind me of my school days, when I'd stay for hours outside in the grounds with my friends until my room mates went to sleep so I could sneak back inside late at night and go to sleep after them, because my snoring used to bother them so much that they would always talk about kicking me out. I still don't know if they were joking. Those pink and orange sunsets shaped my view on the world. I liked the darker times of day because that's when I thrived. Nobody to bother me, I can't bother anyone. To me, dark colours mean freedom, especially the ones I'm seeing now.

I saved my usual Friday morning housework for this evening. I knew I wouldn't be in to do it this morning. Dusting the shelves, vacuuming, de-cobwebbing that one corner that always gets cobwebs and I can never seem to find the spider - it's boring and it gets more and more tiring at my age than it used to years ago, but I do it anyway. Sometimes I sing when there's nobody around. The chores are done after what seems like hours. All I have to do now is go see if Silver's coat and backpack are dry yet. They're flopped over the radiator in the downstairs bathroom, airing off. I didn't empty the bag because Silver said there was paper in there that he wants to keep if it dries nicely. The only trouble with that is it would take forever to dry and if I leave it for too long the paper could set on fire, but it's not like he can just go and get another set of treasured personal belongings so I left it all in there anyway. I know I'm going to have to empty the bag now to be able to tell if it's dry, but something just doesn't feel right about that. I shouldn't snoop around other people's possessions. The coat is bone dry, almost crispy, so judging by that, I think the bag should be just slightly damp, if that. I think I'll tidy up then take it to him.

The remaining coffee takes a while to fully go down the sink, with the help of the tap to get it to stop clinging to the stainless steel, and the dusters stack up nicely, as always. The backpack is a lot lighter than it was before, which is probably because the weight of the fountain water was weighing it down. It's not exactly light either though. By the time I'm upstairs the metal band at the top is digging into my fingers. Everything he owns is made primarily out of metal. Even the zip on his coat is unnecessarily metallic. I can hear him talking to Cream. She was right about the accent too, he speaks in such a high pitch, and the ends of his sentences go up as if he's asking a question. Odd vowels, clipped words, and always a hiss on the letter 'S'.

The temptation is too much for me. I can't help wondering what he's got in his bag. It's not out of nosiness that I look, but out of curiosity and wonder about the things the future children will have. I'm slightly disappointed when it turns out to be a perfectly ordinary school bag - pens, books, a messy folder, the usual bits and bobs a high school student would carry around. The pages of his books are bone dry. They've dried out very nicely actually, they're just slightly on the crinkled side. There's a maths book, pretty much all of it is recognizable as high school math, a French book, also very recognizable. Everything seems relatively normal until I find his Art sketchbook. It looks like he's taken a landscape course, and his drawings are... _incredible_. Or at least, they're incredible on my standards and they'd be even better if the pages had never been soaked before. Sure, he's no Bob Ross, but my God... he wasn't kidding when he was talking about his world. The colour orange dominates the sketchbook. The book itself looks like it's on fire. I bet half of the artists he studied aren't even alive yet, and the ones who are would most likely be very young. I end my snooping session there. This is his personal stuff. It's all he has and I should have respected that. I pack the things away just as I found them in the bag, and leave in Silver's room and head downstairs.

I guess I could order a takeaway. I'm not in the mood for cooking, and it's been a while since we had a WacMonalds anyway. I know what Cream will want. A Big Wac, with a side of fries and a medium soda. She'll probably share the fries with Cheese. I'm sure Chao aren't meant to eat people food but it hasn't done him any harm yet. I get one of their daily special wraps for myself. I've no idea what Friday's is, probably something fishy, but I'll give it a go. As for Silver, I haven't got a clue what he'd like. I end up doubling the Big Wac order, purely from worry that he's going to end up being the indecisive type. And now for twenty minutes of waiting. Is it possible to take a nap in twenty minutes? It's worth a go, I guess.

**\--Cream POV--**

Mister Silver is certainly a very interesting person, though sometimes he won't answer my questions for fear of causing certain people to not exist, or certain events to not happen, and I understand what he means. If a chain of events is broken at the start, there is no way they can continue. For example if the letter 'A' was removed from the alphabet then words would start to look strange and sound strange and everything would change, and maybe codes or ciphers might have been broken differently, or not broken at all, which could have catastrophic consequences, and things that should happen wouldn't and things that shouldn't happen would. The conversion sometimes turns to our interests, what we like and don't like, and sometimes to school, our favourite lessons and things like that. We seem to share a lot of interests, but how he likes Art, I have no idea. He asks me about my school, and I tell him as much as I need to. That I'm friends with a lot of people in Year 10 instead of my own year group because they are nicer and Miss Amy's mother knows Mama from when they were at school, and that I knew Mister Shadow before I even went to Green Hill Academy because he lives at number fourteen. I try not to give too much detail, seeing as Mister Silver probably won't be going to this school at all, or at least very briefly, because he said he's only staying temporarily until he can find his own place in this time. I don't think he trusts Mama and I, and to some extent I don't trust him, but if Mama thinks letting him stay is a good idea, I can't refuse. I can't remember the last time she was wrong.

I decide to change the subject from school and put on the TV. I'm curious to know exactly what happened earlier. It's been a few hours, so if the media cares about Soleanna, it should be all over the news by now. The TV turns on to the game-show channel, which is what I usually leave it on because it's all I ever watch. I flick over to GHZNews, the local news network. It's been getting a lot of bad press lately - fake news, exaggerated stories, not enough coverage on real-world stories, too much coverage on conflicting third-world countries, so it's surprising to see that Soleanna is actually mentioned on-screen. The news reader elaborates on the information shown in the banner.

"And now for an update on the attacks in Soleanna: The identity of the Robot Commander is yet to be discovered, however one robot was captured by the GUN agents in the area, who claim that hey have seen a similar mechanism before. This robot is described as a 'Chaos Energy Seeker' whose aim is to find any of the seven Chaos Emeralds, the location of none of which was known before the Invasion of Soleanna this afternoon. With the help of the Chaotix Detective Agency, the GUN have concluded that at least one Chaos Emerald is in the area. Our interviewer is at the scene with E-102 Gamma, well-known mathematician and lead Agent of the GUN, and Raster Chasquido of the Chaotix Detective Agency with more information."

Chaos Emeralds...? Didn't Silver steal one to get here? I'm sure that's what he said earlier. I look across to him, and he doesn't seem at all fazed by the news. I'll ask him.

"Mister Silver, didn't you need to have a Chaos Emerald to get here?"


	4. Chapter 4

**\--Silver POV--**

"Mister Silver, didn't you need to have a Chaos Emerald to get here?"

Oh crap, the Emerald... I must have left it in the fountain!

_Don't panic, Silver, it's gonna be fine. Tell her what she wants to hear. Think facts, not mistakes._

I already know that the robots would have been too busy with Princess Elise to do anything about the purple Emerald, because it's a known fact in the future that she had the blue Chaos Emerald for self-defence, but never actually used it against the Robot Commander. Losing the purple one shouldn't have had a huge effect on history, right? I just... changed its location. Anyway, why should I care if the future is changed because of my dumbass losing some magical lucky charm in a fountain? If anything I should be happy that it's not gonna be as crappy as it was before.

"Mister Silver?" Oh yeah, Cream's talking to me.

"Uh yeah I did... but I made sure to leave it in the future, just in case I would mess up the timeline if I took it with me." Wow, that was... easier than I thought it would be. When did I become such a smooth liar? Maybe I've always been this way, and I've just never really had a reason to lie. Blaze would always compliment my naïvety and my innocence, and she'd keep me away from things that could potentially change me in order to preserve it. She wouldn't approve of this. I could be withholding crucial information from the GUN right now, but I'm not sure I even care. Blaze was my best friend but I can't stay tied up in her social chains forever.

"Do you know what actually happened?" Cream asks.

"Well-"

_Facts. Give her the facts. Don't screw yourself over now._

"-If you don't wanna explain then that's fine. I understand if you don't wanna mess anything up in your time." I really shouldn't tell her about the blue Emerald, but she doesn't seem like the type of kid who'd go spreading rumors, and if I tell her to keep it a secret for the sake of the future I'm sure she'd listen to me.

"I guess it doesn't matter anymore, it can't really get any worse, can it? It's um... it got revealed about thirty years from now that Princess Elise had a Chaos Emerald for self-defence, so the Commander would have been after her, if they wanted the Emerald of course. Don't tell anyone though. Nobody is supposed to know yet, especially since it's a family secret held with the royals for... God I dunno, since Soleanna was founded, I think."

"...Wow... that's... but why wouldn't she use it?"

"I don't know."

We sit on Cream's bed in silence for the next hour eating a takeaway meal that Vanilla ordered for us, waiting for updates on the invasion but nothing extra comes. It's late in the evening before Cream decides that she wants to go to bed, so I leave her and go to my own room. It's a similar size to Cream's, except instead of an L shape it's rectangular, and the walls are painted blue instead of pale orange. There's not a lot in here except for a dusty folding bed and the odd crate of... random stuff. It's a spare room doubling up as a household storage unit. Not exactly cozy, but I can't complain. My bag and coat are on my bed. Vanilla must have dried them. I hang up my coat on the hook behind the door and close it. It's louder than I expect. I brace myself for something to fall off a shelf which never comes, and try to remember the last time I was so on-edge. I don't think I can.

I didn't bring much. I didn't really have many possessions in the future that were worth taking with me. I figured the contents of my school bag were all I'd ever actually want. But there's so many empty boxes and drawers in here that I struggle to decide where to put it. All of the filled boxes are near the entrance but the further in I go, the emptier it gets. I don't want to ruin the gradient but I've gotta unpack at some point, because I doubt I'll be going to a school any time soon. First, everything ends up in a neat pile in the top drawer of the cabinet next to the bed, but then I realize that it might be a little top-heavy so I move everything down to the bottom drawer. It doesn't take long; my Psychokinesis does most of the work for me.

I really should stop doing that.

My powers are extremely rare in this time. I bet if anybody found out that I can use Psychokinesis, I'd be on my way to a laboratory in no time, and if this gets into the wrong hands it could be catastrophic. Nobody can know. I finish the unpacking job by myself, and although it takes longer than whizzing it all in a drawer all at once, I'm done within minutes. The bag goes on the hook with my coat, and I catch a view of the clock in the corner of my eye as I return to my bed. Quarter past ten... I really ought to think about sleeping, just to adjust into the time zone, if you could call it that, but I'm not tired at all. I've only been awake for eleven hours and usually I could go on for about seventeen.

There never really was such a thing as night in the future. Or day. The sky was blocked up with smoke and rock dust, so the sun never actually got through. It really screwed with the animals. Some were oversleeping and starved to death as they slept, and the other nocturnal animals were driven feral from sleep-deprivation. Nothing could grow either, and oxygen levels were rapidly depleting because it was all spontaneously combusting into nothingness with the fire. The only way life could survive was for emergency greenhouses with floodlights to be built in the areas that weren't quite as crispy as others, and to construct an artificial rainforest within each of them, and them pump the oxygen to different parts of the world in big oxygen tanks and pray that it doesn't feed the fire. The original plan was to get everyone oxygen masks, and wait until the flames died out by themselves, which would cost trillions of trillions to complete, and nobody had that kind of money even if all the governments chipped in. Not to mention the lack of technological advancements in this time, which meant we couldn't even build the pipelines efficiently. Sure, we knew _how_ to do it but we didn't have anything that would _allow_ us to do it. Everything looked the same whether it was day or night. We only knew what time or season it was because of the space stations, and then we'd just have to take their word for it.

I knew what to expect when coming here. I'd seen pictures and videos. I knew it was gonna be either extremely bright or so dark that you can't see a frigging thing, and that the air would be fresh and you wouldn't have to avoid rocks falling back down from the top of the atmosphere, and you wouldn't have to have daily battles with that pack of rabies-filled, sleep-deprived, deoxygenated raccoons that live in the bins... but that's all I've ever known. An impulsive decision to travel back in time where even the sky is a stranger is bound to make me at least a tiny bit homesick, right? But would I really miss it? I'd like to think that I wouldn't, or at least not after I've settled in here, but how can I miss something that doesn't even exist? This future isn't set in stone anymore. It never was. Just by being here I'm changing things. Re-writing events. Deleting documentaries. I always wanted to change how things were and now I'm doing it. I should be proud. I need to take this opportunity to live a good life and steamroll over those memories, with the assurance that they never even happened, and won't ever happen. Because I've seen some crazy things. If I can erase those things from real life then I can erase them from my head too.


	5. Chapter 5

**\--Silver POV--**

The next week and a bit is somewhat uneventful. Vanilla keeps making official-sounding phone calls about me. I don't know what she's saying, and I don't know who's she's telling. The only thing I got to hear was something about a "free placement" and "not missing out". Other than that, not a whole lot happens. I occasionally look out of my bedroom window and watch people going by to whatever place they're going to, and the cars zooming by about ten times as fast as walking speed. How are people not scared by those things? Maybe it's because of the road sections. A slightly raised platform for the people, and the lower part split into two for cars going in two directions. It's a clever thing, but I'm not sure I'd want to be walking quite that close.

I think it's a Monday. It must be. I haven't been keeping track of the calendar in the kitchen but from what the people are wearing outside - suits and uniforms and formal-looking clothes with bags and shiny shoes - I gather it's got to be a working Monday. Vanilla and cream are downstairs sorting their bags out. Vanilla has a job at one of the local schools. She's a French teacher. She's trusting me to stay here and not trash the place whilst she's out. Cream's packing her bags for her boarding school. She's been saying a lot of things about that place. Some good, some bad, some highly questionable. From what I gather, it's not that far away. There doesn't really seem to be much point in going to a boarding school that you could literally walk to every morning. Then again, Vanilla's relatively well-off and surely single teachers wouldn't have enough time to look after their kids as a normal parent couple would.

I peek around the side of my bedroom door and watch them through the banisters. It's a few minutes before Cream catches me looking.

"Good morning, Mister Silver!" she shouts.

"Not so loud, Cream!" Vanilla interrupts. "You'll wake up all the neighbours! Now Silver, come downstairs, I have some explaining to do. You're bound to be wondering what we're doing."

She doesn't seem too bothered by my eavesdropping. And I am wondering. I'm wondering why she's going to leave me here on my own. She can't possibly trust me _that_ much already. I head downstairs and Vanilla takes me into the living room and gestures for me to sit down, then closes the door. This must be something serious. That door's always open.

"So what is it that you need to explain?" I ask.

"I know you."

"You... what?"

_How can she know me? I'm not even supposed to be alive!_

"Well I don't _know_ you as such-"

"How can you possibly know me?"

"I saw you."

"..."

"With the other hedgehog with the black fur and gray stripes. Walking through the city talking about quality of life, right?"

This... this is bad. If she saw Professor Mephiles and I then God knows who else saw us too. We should have been invisible in this point in time, to limit the amount of changes to the future to next to nothing. We must have got lucky with having Vanilla witness it and not becoming the subject of a local gossiping session.

"Vanilla, you can't tell anyone about what you saw."

"I know. That's also why I trusted you to stay here until tomorrow."

"...Tomorrow?" Maybe this is what she was going to explain. Not that she knows me from the history trip, but that she's gonna kick me out.

"I figured that you have pretty much nowhere to stay now you're here," she answers. "I thought that if you have no valid documents with you then that would mean that this 'chance of a good life' that you said you were wishing for wouldn't ever happen. Without those, you can't get anywhere, so I decided to sort that all out for you. Your story seems valid and you seem like a good kid."

That's... nice of her, I guess... I mean, it's nice to know that someone believes me. I thought nobody would. I thought that they'd call me a liar and say that I'm undeserving of help and I'd have to live on the streets if I outstayed my welcome or something. This is not what I was expecting the people of the past to be like.

"I got you a free placement at Cream's school. Usually the carer would have to pay a fee for their kid to go to a boarding school like GHA, but after a bit of negotiation with the staff, they agreed that you can get everything for free. I work there, you see. I can use my influence as a long-serving staff member to get these things looked at."

"And I'm going tomorrow?"

"I admit it would have been better if I told you sooner, but I only got the confirmation email four hours ago."

So I'm going to a boarding school. Tomorrow. With Cream. At least I'll be able to meet people my own age. She's friends with Year 10s, so I think I'll be alright in that area. If not, I can just stay with her. But what about the lessons? Will I be learning the same stuff, or will everything I know now be completely useless? And the dorms... Jeez, I hope I'm put with nice people. I don't fancy sleeping in the same room as a load of idiots who I'll end up hating.

Vanilla sends me upstairs to pack my bag and a suitcase that she dragged down from the attic for me. All the stuff I unpacked is getting re-packed a lot sooner than I thought it would. Later in the day my school uniform shows up in the post. It's mostly dark blue with a light blue and red tie. I've never worn a school uniform before so when I try it on it takes a few tries to get the tie right. It's slightly too big for me. Vanilla assures me that it's better for it to be too big than too small. I also pack in the clothes that she got the other day for the weekends, which are also too big for me. For the rest of the day, the three of us watch movies, relax, and play with the Chao. All we have to do is wait for tomorrow to come, but for some reason, I can't wait. This is going to be an interesting journey and I'm excited to get started.


	6. Chapter 6

**\--Silver POV--**

Vanilla's gonna drive us over to the school this morning. It's only five minutes away but with the excessive amount of stuff Cream's taking, walking wouldn't exactly be a sensible idea. I don't fancy walking near those roads anyway. I stare at myself in the mirror at the top of the stairs, trying to figure out if I'm cut out for posh-school life. The uniform doesn't look too bad. In no way am I used to it, though. Tucking my shirt in feels weird and I swear down my tie is restricting my airways and the trousers are stiff from whatever substance Vanilla ironed them with, but at the same time I like it. It almost suits me. I can smell toast coming up the stairs. Vanilla wanted to make breakfast for us all today as a kind of send-off for the new school term. Apparently it's a bit of a tradition. Cheese on toast on the morning of moving.

As we're eating, Cream explains the school system to me, and gives me a quick verbal tour of the school so I don't get horrendously lost. It's made up of seven different buildings, five are lesson-based, one is with the dorms and and the last one is everything else. That alone doesn't convince me that I won't get lost - seven buildings makes the school sound humongous - but Cream assures me that the system is very fluid and it's virtually impossible to go to the wrong places unless you're one of those people who tries to get everywhere via the shortcuts, which is extremely confusing and in the long-run is extremely pointless. I point out that that kind of defeats the point of having a shortcut, and in return find out that they're only really there for the security staff. Cream then shows me her timetable. It's probably the only part of her explanation that makes any sense. Lesson name, then teacher's initial, then room initial all in neat little boxes in a grid-like fashion. I don't actually have my timetable yet. I haven't even confirmed my subject choices yet. I have no idea whether they're gonna do the same courses at this school but I can guarantee I won't be taking History again. I know almost nothing from before the Day of Disaster, so I think I'd be better off picking Geography than History. I'm sticking with Art and French. I can't imagine a Mobian school _not_ teaching Art and French, but times have changed.

Twenty minutes after we finish our breakfast, it's time to go. Cream and I load our stuff into the back of the car whilst Vanilla wipes the condensation off the wing mirrors and the windscreen. She says that happens every time she starts the engine in cold weather, and if it's not gotten rid of, it's impossible to drive. It seems like a massive design fail to me. Surely the people who make cars will have found a solution to cloudy windscreens. Something like vents below the windscreen and tiny wipers on the wing mirrors is all it should take to solve that. Cream's second suitcase goes on the back seat next to where I sit, and the majority of the journey's noise is produced by the handle smacking against the door. I recognize most of the roads from when we came home just over a week ago, but at around halfway the streets become foreign to me again. We head towards the city center. The buildings get taller and more compacted and the population of the sidewalks becomes increasingly dense as we near the school.

My first full view of my new home comes as Vanilla drives into the car park. I think in future it would be better just to completely ignore Cream when she's trying to explain stuff. This place is absolutely gigantic. Well, it's gigantic compared to my old school. I guess on further observation most of the land is taken up by concrete grounds... but it's still huge. Nobody can argue that.

"Alright, we're here!" Vanilla announces. We get out of the car and take our stuff out of the back. Some other students are arriving too. Some in cars, some walking, some coming off the occasional bus. Vanilla wishes Cream a hug-filled good luck and sends her off, then turns to me.

"Silver, I'll take you to reception so you can get you your timetable and ID card. I could introduce you to some of the other teachers on the way, if you like."

"Okay but you don't have to introduce me to the teachers, I'll probably meet them all at some point," I quickly reply. As much as I might need to get to know a few new faces around here, I do not want to be formally introduced to them right now. "Man, this place is huge... are you and Cream sure that I won't get lost in here?"

"You'll be fine, I promise." _I'd better be fine now that you've promised that._

I follow her lead to the reception. I'm assuming it's going to be on the ground floor of the 'everything else' block, which is probably the one closest to the car park. When we get there it turns out I'm right. I could have found it without any of Vanilla's help. She speaks to the receptionist and signs herself in and introduces me to the receptionist, who then asks me to confirm my details and subject choices. After a quick rummage through some drawers and a look through her computer, she finds my ID card and prints off my timetable. There must be some sort of formula to the timetables, because that's the only method I can think of which would be capable of producing one so quickly. She points out the map of the school on the back of the timetable. Apparently that's all I'll need for navigation. Vanilla exits the building through the back door and heads to one of the other buildings. I'll need to consult my timetable before going anywhere.

School itself starts in over an hour, which I guess gives me time to unpack. I'm in dorm 4B, which is shown with a little yellow star on the map. It's in the farthest building from here, on the fourth floor, in the room labelled 'B'. Maybe this navigation system isn't going to be too daunting after all. I move across the grounds, trying not to make too much noise with my suitcase, and go inside the dorm building, then a problem arises. Do I use the elevator, or take the stairs? My suitcase has a handle. I could carry it but my arms might get tired. I've never used an elevator before. I wouldn't know what to do with one

"You look lost. Need help?"

Startled, I spin around and find myself face-to-face with a red echidna.

_Chaos, I wish people wouldn't scare me like that._

"No, I'm not lost."

"...You're the new kid, aren't ya? You can call me Knuckles, and I don't chuckle. From 4D, by the way."

I was hoping I'd at least run into someone in dorm 4B, just to judge what they'd be like. I just need to be patient and find out when I get there. "Uh... I'm Silver, from wherever dorm 4B is."

"Wait you're in Year 10? You look like a Year 8! What lessons have you got today? I might see ya."

I take another look at my timetable. "English, Maths, Art, Science, then Geography."

"Who've you got maths with?"

"E.O."

"You lucky thing. Omega's like, the BEST math teacher ever. I had him last year. He deserves to ascend to robot heaven, I swear. He only does top set maths now, though, so I'm stuck with some woman with one of those unpronounceable foreign names that-" He cuts off mid-sentence when he catches me looking at the elevator. "...You'd be better taking the stairs than the lift. Those things have a tendency to break. I got stuck in one once. That was _not_ fun."

We climb the stairs up to the fourth floor. Knuckles doesn't shut up for the entire way, but I don't mind. Some of the stuff he's talking about is actually pretty interesting, like how the entire school closed down for three days last year because a baby goat got stuck in the vents and the firefighters had to chase it out, and how the people in his dorm are "either invisible twenty-four-seven or absolute dickheads". When we reach the right floor he heads off to his own dorm and leaves me outside 4B.

_Top set maths...? Was there no room left in bottom set or something?_


	7. Chapter 7

**\--Silver POV--**

I lightly knock on the door of the dorm, but get no answer. I try again. Still no answer. I guess there's nobody in. I open the door, step inside, and find a black and red hedgehog wearing headphones sat on the bed to my left, eyes closed. I knock for a third time, this time on the bedpost, and louder, too. He hears me this time, and looks up at me.

"You're the new kid." It's not a question. I'm not sure how to reply so I just stay quiet. "Don't just stand there staring at me. I won't bite," he says as he briefly removes the headphones. "You can put your stuff in the right side of that cupboard over there. It should be free." He gestures to the cupboard across from him, then puts his headphones back on again. I open the cupboard to find that it really isn't free at all. It's full of someone's clothes and a couple of books and several pairs of shoes.

"Hey um... This cupboard isn't free."

"What? Didn't catch that." The hedgehog removes his headphones again, this time looking slightly on the frustrated side.

"I said this cupboard isn't free."

"Oh, for fuck's sake, I told Sonic to clear that thing out! I'll go get him, we're not moving his stuff for him. You wait here, I'll be right back." He throws his headphones onto the bead and jogs out of the room.

I take his exit as an opportunity to explore the dorm. It's about twice the size as the storage room in Vanilla's house, with two sets of bunk beds, two double-sectioned cupboards, a desk with a computer and a very minimalistic en-suite bathroom which sticks out into the main room. If it wasn't for the bathroom, the dorm would be completely square. I open the curtains to let some much-needed light inside, and watch the city whilst I wait.

**\--Shadow POV--**

That idiot blue hedgehog never listens to a single word I say. We had an entire conversation on the group chat about how he needs to clear the cupboards out for the new kid but no, he'd rather goof off with his friends and leave it up to me. It's his stuff, therefore he's gotta move it. I could have messaged him and told him to get his ass over here before I come along and drag him, but I've tried that approach many times before and it simply doesn't work. He's worse at replying to messages than anyone I've ever known. The trouble is, I have no idea where he is so either way it's gonna take an eternity to get him back.

I search the Year 10 hub first with no luck, then head to the cafeteria, and he isn't in there either. I spot Vector on the other side of the cafeteria. He always knows where everyone is. I run over to him.

"Hey Vector, have you seen Sonic?"

"Wow Shad, that's the fastest I've seen yer movin' in ages!" he jokes. Can't he see I'm not in the mood for jokes right now?

"Just answer the question, Crocodile."

"Well last time I saw 'im he were over near Discovery gettin' 'it on by Amy again. Why, what's he done?"

I roll my eyes at him. "You'd be better off asking me what he _didn't_ do."

I start to walk away.

"Oi Shad! Don' I get a thanks ya for my exceptional directional services?" Vector shouts, still with a little humor in his voice. I decide to play along for a couple of seconds to stop him whining at me later.

"Yes, thank you, Vector, I really appreciate your help, blah blah blah. I'm in a rush, okay? I've got an idiot to find."

I'm at the Discovery block in less than a minute. There he is, sat on the concrete bench with Amy, completely unaware that we've got someone waiting to unpack their stuff probably thinking I'm some sort of antisocial hothead right about now.

"Hey Faker, guess what you forgot to do?"

Sonic looks up at me, and his friendly smile immediately fades. "Crap... Is he here yet?"

"What do you think? Now get your ass over there and clear out that goddamn cupboard!"

"...Make me." _Oh really, Sonic? You're playing this game?_

"Fine. I'll race you over there."

"Deal."

Normally I wouldn't stand a change against Sonic without my skates. He is the fastest thing alive, after all, but he's not allowed to use his powers in school in case somebody gets hurt, but even then I have to flat-out sprint to even get close to his normal running speed. I'm constantly reminding him that he doesn't have to go easy on me - these races are just excuses to make each other go places - but he still insists on only doing a "light jog" to make it fairer. We arrive back at the dorm in no time. The new kid's still in there, zoned out and staring out of the window. It takes Sonic tapping him on the shoulder for him to notice us and leave whatever daydream world he's in. I don't listen to their conversation. Instead, I sort through the stuff in my own bag. It's a great first day back. English, Maths, double Science and Music all in one day is a blessing. I absolutely despise my Physics class, but the lesson itself isn't too bad, and neither is Music but it got a little worse since Manic got the role as lead drummer. At least I don't have to sing, which makes it better, I guess. Speaking of Manic, he should be here by now.

"Sonic, have you seen Manic?"

He removes his head from the cupboard and sighs. "He went AWOL this morning. We all tried to get the train over here but he insisted on taking the coach so he left us."

"What did your mom think of that?"

"Hated it at first, but there's no arguing with Manic when he's made his mind up."

"You can say that again."

"He should be here by now... You sure you haven't seen him?"

"Absolutely."

Sonic pauses for a second, then grabs his phone off the desk. "Dammit I told him those coaches are so damn unreliable! I'd be surprised if he's not dead in a ditch right now!" He starts frantically punching digits into the screen, spelling out the text as he types. "Where... the hell... are... you... ya frickin'... turd... send. Right, he'd better reply to that or I'll kill him when he gets here."

"Fancy that. Sonic's talking about replying to texts," I reply, to nobody in particular.

"Don't get sarcastic with me, Shorty-" Sonic's insult is cut off by the door opening. "-Manic is that you? Oh my word man! You had me worried!"

"For less than a minute, may I add?"

Sonic ignores me and throws his arms around his brother, visibly relieved that he didn't end up "dead in a ditch" after all. He begins a long lecture about sticking together and how coaches are "less reliable than AmoZone's so-called next-day delivery". This is where I really wish I had a pair of those noise-cancelling headphones. I really can't be bothered to listen to any of their nonsense, and I can't even shut it out with the shitty headphones I've got now. Sure, they do the job, the sound's pumped through to the right sides and everything works, but when there's background noise they're next to useless. The only chance I have of any peace this morning is to get the hell out of this dorm.

**\--Sonic POV--**

I knew this morning was going to be a little more interesting than the rest with it being the first day back after Halloween and new students and whatnot. It's strange how all hell breaks loose when you've got to be somewhere. Manic's logic never fails to stump me. It doesn't take a lot to stump me on a normal day but since when, since _fricking_ when, was a coach safer than a train? And after some convincing, Mom _agreed_. I don't know what form of liquid crack she was drinking at breakfast this morning but if there's one thing that's bound to get you killed is being the youngest prince in public on a coach with zero protection from idiots who might want to assassinate you. And I'm not kidding. Mom has bodyguards on the palace premises 24/7. I've gotten to know quite a few of them. And then there's the whole Sally situation. I'd been stuck with her clingy-ass super-huggy bitch-face girlfriendness for all of last term and half of summer. She's worse than Amy, and Amy practically stalks me. And now I'm stuck in here emptying this goddamn cupboard because apparently I don't have anything better to worry about.

I'll admit it, have a lot of stuff. More stuff than the average student. There's no way it's ever gonna fit in my own cupboard space so if Shadow doesn't mind, I'm going to borrow some space under his bed. He keeps his various notebooks under there and he made us swear on our mortality that we wouldn't look inside them. If anything that just made me more curious but I'll respect his privacy. Nobody likes a snooper. I shuffle everything over to the top side, making a two foot long stretch at the bottom end of the bed. This should be more than enough. And the funny thing is that he hasn't even objected. He seems more preoccupied by whatever he's listening to than the secrets I might be reading up on right under his ass. I'm about to ask him if he's alright but when I open my mouth to say something, he throws his headphones to the other end of the bed, grabs his shoulder bag and storms out of the room, slamming the door. I'm not sure what I did, but I'm not too worried. That right there is way more like the Shadow I know.

"What's with him today?" Manic asks.

"No idea. I don't even know why you're bothering to ask. You're supposed to despise the guy," I answer.

Manic slots his suitcase between his bunk bed and the cupboard, starting a conversation with the new student.

"So uhh, what's your name?" He tries to disguise his awkwardness, and fails. Manic's never been great around new people. Something you'd never guess if you've lived with him for six years.

"Silver."

"Huh. The name suits. Hey..." he looks at Silver's boots with interest. "Are they your shoes?"

"Yeah they're mine, why?"

"Where'd ya get 'em?"

I butt in to the conversation. "Seriously Manic, why do you care about all the weird stuff?"

Silver sticks up for him. "It's fine, Sonic... I can't actually remember where I got them, I've had them for so long..."

"They're sick man." Manic compliments, giving his suitcase one last shove before disappearing into the bathroom.

For the next ten minutes we're silent. I would attempt to get to know Silver but there's not a lot of point in starting that now when we'll see each other every day anyway. Form time starts at 8:40. A lot of people in my form decide to skip it. We literally do random quizzes and that's it. Twenty minutes of every day wasted on naming the music in last week's Top 40, or de-ciphering the titles to books that literally no-one has ever heard of. It should be worth going today though. I wanna see how many of the teachers are hating life right now, because they have to stay here on the weekdays too. Do the people who run boarding schools not realize that kids and teachers actually have lives? It's only the people near the top of the school hierarchy who are actually allowed to go home during the week. When 8:38 comes along I finally decide that today, I will go to form.


	8. Chapter 8

**\--Shadow POV--**

Heads turn in the hub as I slam the door on the way out of the dorm. I wasn't trying to make it loud, just a little dramatic so the blue hedgehog would realize that he was annoying me. I ignore the other students and take my time going outside. I leave the block via the stairs. After what happened to Knuckles last year, I've been steering well clear of those elevators. Anybody who hasn't is an idiot.

Once I'm outside I begin yet another search, which turns out to be a lot easier than my quest to find Sonic. When she's not in her dorm, you can almost always find Rouge sat around outside the Creative block. I don't know what she finds to do there. Rouge spots me coming over and takes her feet off the bench to let me sit down with her.

"So, how was your break?" she asks. We tend to keep the small-talk to a minimum, but when it's been a week and a half since we've seen each other, we break a few rules.

"Cubot broke. Again." I don't bother asking how her break was, and instead cut to the chase. "Why on Mobius did you think I would enjoy listening to GUN podcasts?"

"I thought you wanted to work for them."

"I do, but podcasts? Really?"

"Well it's stopped you whining about Sonic and Manic already." She has a point. Normally the first thing I say to her every day involves those two. Rouge is the one I rant to. On a very regular basis.

The podcasts were _somewhat_ interesting, I guess. Life in the GUN, routine missions, agent rankings... from what I gather it's all a bit like the police crossed with the army. The only trouble is that last time I checked, misunderstandings were easy mistakes to make and the wrong people got killed, lives were ruined and so on. I shouldn't want to work for an organisation like that, but a lot can change in fifty years. Even so, they could still use someone with my common sense on their team, because if you asked some of these agents where you could find the captain, for example, they'd probably give the most nonsensical, unnecessarily complicated answers to the point where, instead of forwards or backwards, you'd start progressing sideways.

Rouge's comment about Sonic and Manic reminds me of their... entrances, maybe? It's getting to the point now where they're so damn annoying that I'm running out of words to describe them. I fill Rouge in on the events of the morning so far as we wait for the bell. I'm barely on to the part with Vector when form time is indicated by the high-pitched squeal of a bell. Is there any need for such ear rape on a Tuesday morning? It's definitely noticeable enough - there will never be any of this "sorry I'm late, I didn't hear the bell" shit - but man, air raid sirens have sure got competition. Rouge and I go our separate ways and I migrate north to the Discovery block. As usual, I reach the classroom way before anyone else. Omega is sat at his desk waiting for everyone to arrive and gestures for me to come in when I lightly knock on the door frame.

"Good morning, Shadow. Did you have a good half term?" To anybody who had never spoken to Omega before, he might be difficult to understand. His automated, monotone voice has so little accent that communication would be harder with him than with the Downundans. Luckily I'd had enough experience with Orbot and Cubot back at home to be able to figure out what Omega's saying. Despite his voice, he is one of the more interesting robots who adapts his teaching and manner of back-and-forth conversation to be a little more people-friendly. I explain my half term break with the exact same level of detail as I did with Rouge, then change the subject to ask about his. It's a question I've never asked him before, and one I'll probably never ask again.

Omega looks up at me as I sit down at my desk. "Not a whole lot happened. Should I continue?"

This question raises some concern. If not a lot happened then what is there to continue to? I press on anyway. "As long as it isn't too personal," I reply. I've never even attempted to dig deep in to the life of a teacher before. I'm not sure what it is about today that's making me do it.

"Standard rights of workers do not apply to robots, therefore I am not allowed to leave the school premises until I'm either fired or I quit. The majority of the last week and a half was spent plugged in to the charging port in Dr. Robotnik's office."

"You mean... you don't have a home or anything? And what would you do with your salary if you're cooped up in here all the time?"

"I do not own a home and there is no salary."

So that means that Omega's just being used. His work is free. It's surprising that factories and small companies haven't caught on to this yet and started hiring robots left right and center to allow their business to expand even faster. I'm just glad they haven't yet. With the rate that technology and artificial intelligence are advancing, these robots aren't cheap labour anymore - they're people. Or at least, the electronic equivalent.

"You know what, Omega? We should start a 'Rights for Robots' campaign. Just this form, getting the robots a home each and some admiration."

"That is a beyond foolish idea. Some may try to start a cult to take over and rule the world."

"Well let's be real here, some of you guys have a heck of a lot more sense than most of these world leaders in office right now."

"...Hesitant agreement shown." His sense of humor is just one of these people-friendly adaptations.

The rest of the form begin coming in one by one, none of them talking or anything. Everyone's fed up of having to always be in school every single day by the time they get to Year 10. Most of these kids live hundreds of miles away so they can't even see their families on the weekends. I'm one of the lucky ones. It only takes me two and a half minutes to walk home, one minute and fifteen seconds to run and less than twenty seconds to skate. I don't have to wait until vacation to go home, but I still have to sleep over. It's the people like Rouge and Omega who stop me losing it in here. That doesn't mean I'd rather be at home though. Some days, I struggle to think of anywhere I'd rather be, or anywhere I'd rather not be. Other days it's just not worth thinking about.

**\--Sonic POV--**

"Sonic! I didn't think you'd show up here today!" The voice of my best friend calls me from the other side of the physics classroom.

"Hey buddy, what's up?"

"The dorm's a mess already and Scourge still has it in for me, it seems." Ah, Tails. Always way too honest for his own good. It's one of the main reasons people pick on him, aside from the obvious. I take a seat next to him and wait for Egghead Robuttnik to show up. I don't think there's been a single day this year when he's been on time. I bet he thinks he can get away with it, seeing as he's the principal and all that, but with the way he's going the teachers are gonna end up starting a riot to throw him off top spot, and I'm joining in.

It takes about five minutes for Dr. Robotnik to actually show up, alongside a very pouty Sally Acorn. She struts into the classroom like she owns the place, as always. She's probably been in yet another bitch-fight with chaos knows who and Dr. Robotnik had to split it up. That's how it usually goes and nothing's ever any different in this place. It's about time something crazy happened here. Something with some variety, maybe another goat in the vents, but that's already been done. I never did get caught for that. I think Espio might have been sneaking around and saw the goat but he's never said anything. Anyway, Sally's been keeping me in line for the majority of her self-proclaimed relationship with me. It's no fun with her around. Everything's got to be done her way, with her plans, and if I say her opinions are wrong she gets all snappy with me, and yet she wonders why I can't stand to be with her 24/7. She's fine as a friend. Nothing more.

"Hey Sonikku, how're ya doing?" she asks, in her usual flirtatious tone, which instantly ruined by the scraping of the chair on the vinyl floor. I'd take the chair scraping over the flirting any day.

"Sally, could you give the pet-names a rest for once?"

"In a bad mood, I see?"

"Only because you're here."

"What was that?"

"Nothing..."

I really ought to tell her how I feel, but I'm afraid she'll hate me for it for the rest of time. I grab a bit of scrap paper from my pocket and scrawl a message on it in a language that Tails and I use for this kind of thing. I shouldn't be asking him for relationship advice of all people but I'm wedged between him and Sally and he's the only one who I can talk to in Pig Latin anyway.

_"Should I break up with Sally now or later?"_

I skid the note across the table to Tails when Egghead and Sally aren't looking, and watch him write a reply from the corner of my eye. I've told him about my situation. A day doesn't go by when I'm not ranting to him about her bitch-ass clignyness. He slips the note back to me on the next opportunity, with his message beneath mine.

_"There's no time like the present."_

Chaos, I hope that fox knows what he's talking about because I sure as hell don't. A row in the first form time on the first day of term is the last thing I need, but the cliché makes sense. Before I start the conversation with Sally I check the time, and figure that ten minutes is more than long enough to say what I've gotta say.

_Please don't hate me..._


	9. Chapter 9

**\--Silver POV--**

This is already proving to be difficult. Spontaneously deciding that I'm going to disguise the fact that I'm a time traveller means lying about myself, my birthplace, life experiences, etcetera, and I know for a fact that's not going to end well unless I dispose of the evidence. When I get back to the dorm later the first thing I'm gonna to do is take the branding off my boots and coat before someone tries to search them up on Gooqle.

Form time with Vanilla went relatively quickly. She had a word with me before I went in telling me to call her either Ms. Vanilla or Miss, and nothing else so I'm not singled out for appearing to know her, which I guess is fair enough. She also said that if there's any trouble, then Dr. Robotnik's gonna kick me straight out, so I have to be on my best behavior. Now, on my way to English with Manic, I begin to wonder if the teaching methods will be any different here. If they are, then hopefully they're a little more engaging than what I'm used to. The only interesting part of the lessons in the future is that feeling of immense power and invincibility when you open the textbook to the right page on your first try.

Manic shows me to the Communication block. I follow him through the crowds of students, cutting through every gap at every available opportunity. He turns round as he holds the door open for me, and shouts above the noise, "If there's one thing you've gotta know about this place, it's that you should never walk against the flow. Stick to the right wherever you can!"

The stairs are a claustrophobe's nightmare, stuffed full of people and moving at a snail's pace. It's a miracle anyone can get to lesson on time, yet Manic assures me that this stairway congestion happens every single day.

"Come on! We have twenty seconds! Jeez, can these people go any slower?"

We reach the top of the stairs and leg it the rest of the way, bursting through the door to the English classroom just as the teacher begins the register. Manic takes the full blame for the rather dramatic entrance, and lets me slip in behind him and find an empty seat next to his. During the register I try to learn a few names. Nothing really stands out to me. Everyone's names are what I'd expect from the names people are given nowadays. Nouns, adjectives and the odd name that means absolutely nothing to me whatsoever.

"Some of these names might as well just be randomly generated letter sequences..." I think out loud, louder than I probably should.

"Well I'll have you know that my buddy Scourge here just happens to have been named after a type whip used as an instrument of punishment, right Scourge?"

"Shut up Manic. No I was not."

"Admit it or your mom's a porn star."

"She is anywa-"

"Alright everyone, settle down!" The teacher cuts off the newly-emerging argument between Manic and Scourge. "Just because I'm new in this department doesn't mean you can talk over me. For those of you who don't know," he looks directly at me, "my name is Mr. Omochao and I'll be your English teacher for the rest of this year."

A robotic Chao. Interesting. So that makes two - him and whoever this Omega person is. I wonder how many other robots are in this place? I honestly didn't think they'd be such a big thing in the past.

The English lesson is a lot more interesting than expected, mainly because of the rest of the class taking every poem that's ever been written in the 'wrong' way, whatever that means, but the actual work side of it is still dull as hell, and looking around, most of the others look incredibly bored too, and throughout the entire hour, Manic and Scourge keep quietly whispering stuff to each other and giggling like little girls. I don't know what they're talking about and part of me doesn't want to. Knuckles comes over to me at the end of the lesson as everyone's putting their books away.

"So, you making any friends?"

"I'm not sure yet. Sonic's alright I think, I don't think I like Manic and Scourge very much and as for the other black and red guy I have no idea." I make sure to tell him my reply quietly, to not risk anyone getting insulted by my honesty.

"Black and red... Oh, you mean Shadow, right?"

Right on cue, he appears right behind Knuckles, startling him. "What about me?"

"Oh nothing, Shadow. You uhh, get back to whatever you were doing, heheh..."

"You'd better not be chatting shit about me, Knucklehead, or I'll put you in the elevator," he warns.

"I'm not! Calm the hell down, man!" Knuckles defends, raising his hands above his head, pretending to surrender to Shadow. "Come on Silver, let's get to Maths."

**\--Shadow POV--**

Math flies, as usual. Omega's lessons follow such an orderly routine that I don't even need to look at the clock to know the time anymore. A lot of people hate the sameness of all the lessons but I find it satisfying. Break isn't too bad either. Physics however, is a whole other story. Since 'Eggman' kicked Mr. Omochao off the Physics team and took the job for himself, everyone seems to have forgotten how to behave like civilized beings. There's only Tails, Espio, Knuckles and I who actually seem to care about our education. Knuckles hates science but he still tries, at least. The reason people take Further Science as one of their chosen subjects is because they are passionate about science, and only three out of the fifteen actually meet that criteria.

"This class... This class is the unwritten definition of frustration," Tails complains. I grab our books off the front desk and toss Tails's to him. He grabs it and drops his head down onto it, clearly not wanting to be here.

"Cheer up, Tails. You're supposed to love Physics, right?"

"Oh yeah, as if _you_ are telling _me_ to cheer up."

"Well _I_ just happen to have a resting sad face. _You_ don't," I mock. He reluctantly sits back up as we wait for Dr. Robotnik to show up to class.

During the wait I cast my mind back to one of Jet's little pranks on Dr. Robotnik. He's due for a new one. He usually teams up with Sonic to confuse the hell out of him. The last one involved the two of them printing out hundreds of pictures of the hippo from the Mobian rip-off of the movie Magadascar and hiding them all over the classroom. They even convinced Espio to help them put some on the ceiling. Out of all the people I know, Jet was one of the ones I least expected to get along well with Sonic. Sonic isn't even in this class, yet he and Jet still find the time to mess with us. I bet half of their lives are spent thinking up these weird little schemes every week. They're usually executed on a Monday or Tuesday, but when they're close to being caught they shift it to the Thursday. It looks as if I'm the only one so far who's noticed the pattern, but so many people hate Dr. Robotnik that even the people like Espio don't snitch. I guess it says quite a lot. If Sonic and Jet can do such crazy shit and still have everyone in the school supporting them through it all and joining in, then they really ought to start getting into stuff like campaigning or rebelling against the government or something.

Campaigns. Again. Maybe I should do something like that, I think about it so often... Nah. Persuasion with the absence of a threat of a chaos spear up the ass has never been my forte. I want to change the how the world is, but not that much.

Dr. Robotnik stumbles into the classroom, tripping over the doorstop and leaning on the desk to prevent himself from falling further. Calling him Dr. Robotnik still feels strange after three-and-a-bit years of high school. Before then, I'd only ever known him as Ivo or Eggman. It's policy here that I've got to call him by his surname whether he's my nephew or not. And I don't like the idea of that either. To think that this clod is Maria's cousin... it's more than cringe-worthy.

"Am I the only one who wanted him to crack his head open on the desk just so we can get Omochao back?" whispers Espio.

"You are demonstrating something which is commonly referred to as 'clutching at straws', Espio," I reply, in the same monotone whisper. This isn't the first time he's admitted to such thoughts, but as much as I agree with his hatred, he does go a little too far sometimes. Besides, Omochao's not too bad in the English department.

The lesson continues as normal, or at least, as normal as it could possibly get, with Tails and I quietly ploughing through the various worksheets while Espio patiently helps Knuckles survive question four out of twenty-two for fifteen minutes, and the rest of the class get up to Chaos-knows-what in the background, and whilst the other three can filter out most of the background noise relatively easily, Gerald wasn't kind enough to grant me that skill, so in order to concentrate I have to pin my ears down as close to my head as my puny little ear muscles can get them. It only works until some nosy fucker asks me why I look so sad, but after the first seven or eight times the nosy fucker learns how to keep their nose out of other people's fucking business, but the nosy fuckers only learn that one at a fucking time and by the time it's gone round all of the nosy fuckers the first nosy fucker fucking forgets. Their antics aren't even funny anymore. I'm not sure they were anyway, but whether they're funny or not I'm still drained by the end of the two hours even though I have little to no part in it.

It's a shame it's too late to change class. If this were a month earlier I'd be little enough into the courses to be able to change one of my subjects to something else which would put me in the other Further Science class. Swapping Geography for History would have done it, but would that really have been worth it? Would I really rather go to History than anywhere else? It's boring as hell and literally everything is 100% set in stone there. Nothing can change and new discoveries won't be worth anything because all of their worth has been and gone. Geography covers the current issues. Things that are happening right now, in the world we are living in right now and nowhere else, no other times, no multitude of dates and names to memorize, just common sense applied to the world around us.


	10. Chapter 10

**\--Sonic POV--**

"So Jet, what's the plan?" I ask as I jog across the Discovery block towards him.

"Nothing your scarce number of braincells wouldn't be capable of thinking of with a lot of time and contemplation," he insults. Jet insults everyone, but he's made it clear to me that he's only trying to wind me up and he isn't degrading my intelligence anywhere near as much as he could. "I was thinking we could maybe sneak into Eggman's office tonight whilst he's gone and cover his walls in sticky notes, and maybe even make an illusion art if we have time. Y'know, just to frick with his head a bit when he walks in in the morning."

"Sounds like a plan but don't you think it's slightly... mild?"

"Well I discovered today that Eggman seems to be very prone to falling over things. I bet a fluorescent optical illusion would do just the trick. Meet me on the first floor of Social at 21 and I'll make sure we're set."

Jet and I do our usual salute and head off to the cafeteria, parting ways at the entrance. The long table in the center is already occupied by the usual group, plus Silver. It seems as if he has chosen his place already. I'm not sure anyone can decide that quickly without an introduction to the other parties. As much as I'd want him to stay, he still needs to know a few important names and faces from across the year group. Knuckles waves me over to them and kicks a seat out for me.

"Hey Sonic, how was dance class?"

"Stupid. I have to do Ballet."

I explain the torture of dance class to the guys. I chose dance because I like dancing. I just thought I'd get a little more choice in what dance styles I get to do instead of having to go along with everyone else. Break-dance is fine. Hip-hop is fine. Heck, I'll even settle for Contemporary or even the Charleston if I have to, but Ballet? Hell no! That's what girls do. It doesn't help that I'm in a class full of them either, and not a single one of them voted for Hip-hop. Once my rant is over, Knuckles, Shadow and Tails begin to talk about how their sanity is being reduced to a mere fleck of dust by their Physics class. I retort with, "Well if you hate it so much then why did you take the goddamn subject?" but, as usual, my witty remark gets ignored by everyone but Shadow, who, as usual, returns it with, "Well I could say the exact same about you and dance class but you hate it when I question your choices, don't you Faker?" and, as usual, I accept defeat. I begin to wonder exactly why I'm questioning Silver's choice of friendship group. He's come to the right place - out of all the distinct sections of the year group this one is probably the least retarded of the lot, even if the rest are worth knowing about.

"Hey Silver, how's about I give you the lowdown on who's who in this place? There's some people worth knowing about."

"Uhh, sure."

I stand up to get a better view of who's in the cafeteria right now, and he does the same. Beginning in the far corner, I work around everyone of significance in a circle.

"So over there in the corner we've got Espio the badass ninja Chameleon and Vector the super annoying Crocodile. We call them 'Team Chaotix' because they're the kids of the people who work at the Chaotix Detective Agency, I assume you've heard of them, and um... over there near the door we have the group who Knuckles refers to as 'The Chicks'. From left to right there's Amy the stalker Hedgehog, Sally the bitch-face Chipmunk, Bat-Face the Rogue AKA Rouge, and Cream the Rabbit. Then right over on the other end of the cafeteria, you see those birds, they're collectively called the 'Babylon Rogues' because they're Babylonians and they're Rogue but they're not like Rouge. That's my buddy Jet the Hawk and I have absolutely nothing to do with Wave the Swallow or Storm the Albatross but I'm introducing them anyways, and in the other corner we have the 'Dickheads'. You already know Manic, he migrated over there quite recently and I must say that was not a good week to be around him, then the other green guy is Scourge the Hedgehog and that there's Nack the Weasel, but you may hear him as Fang the Sniper, and that chick there's Fiona the even-more-bitch-face-than-Sally-even-though-that's-pretty-much-impossible Fox," I take a moment to breathe before continuing, "and then there's us. Yeah..."

I look across the table at my friends. There's not a lot to see. Usually they're a little less depressing, a little louder and a little less fascinated by the way the food moves around when you jab it with the fork. School food isn't great anyway but recently it's quality has been decreasing rapidly since the Food and Nutrition class were allowed to help out if they want to. You can tell when Amy's been cooking by the level of inconsistency in whatever she makes. I'm not sure it's even possible to get a chicken pie that's burnt on the inside and raw on the outside but if Amy can do it then I guess it must be. The majority of her food is inedible. Then we get the incredibly strange flavor combinations. Somebody thinks that triple Worcestershire Sauce and a gazillion grinds of pepper is the key to success with everything. I'm yet to find out who that is, but when I do I'll strangle them for all the times their food strangled me. I think the only decent chef in that class is the one who makes the custard.

Silver and I sit back down and wait for lunch to finish. It's music next and I've got a job to do. Well, not a job exactly, more of a script to recite and pray that it's persuasive enough to make the music teacher reconsider his previous decisions, and if it goes well then I'll be in everyone's good books, including Shadow and Sonia's, and I know for a fact that that's more difficult than trying to stop a fast train by standing in front of it. I can't wait to see their faces when I'm done with this!

**\--Espio POV--**

"But Es, yer a ninja! Yer ain't supposed to 'ave thoughts like those!"

"Vector, do you hate this guy or not?"

"Of course I do, but-"

"Well quit acting like the Shinobi are stalking me, for heaven's sake! I'm allowed to have a break from training, okay?"

If the Shinobi were stalking me, I wouldn't be doing or saying or thinking half the stuff I do now. I wouldn't dare. If they got wind of any of this then it's curtains for my training course. If Vector has an issue with the way I think then he can keep it to himself, because I'm 99.9% sure that my violent thoughts are safe for as long as nobody goes telling anyone. I don't need Eggman hearing rumors that I keep low-key hoping that something tragic would happen to him so none of us would ever have to put up with his teaching incompetence ever again.

Vector and I sit in silence until the bell goes, which is when our wait for Mighty proves unsuccessful. When his father was fired from the Agency, Mighty was told that he must not be seen with Vector and I until his father is done repaying the debt, which was accumulated as a result of him causing the other adults to fail every case set for them since July. The Agency has had a recent stroke of luck by helping the GUN discover the purpose of the robots used in the Soleanna attacks, but it was nothing a bit of bad press couldn't throw into the 'this is completely irrelevant' bin. On the way to Food and Nutrition class, I think about how this rapid drop in income could affect our home life.

Mine and Vector's family rented a few rooms each from Locke's mansion, and because of Vector's father Raster's money-hogging habits, Locke gives a little bit of the rent money back every month for us to keep the place nice and tidy, just to keep everyone happy. He gets paid an ungodly amount of Rings for just standing around and guarding that Master Emerald all day, but what can I say? It gives us a home. Raster owns the Agency and my father works for him. They were only just scraping by when the Armadillos weren't ruining their reputation, but since then Father's had to do twice the amount of work plus dealing with Raster's spending habits, and as of when they last wrote to me, they owed a whopping nineteen thousand, five hundred and two Rings to the Echidnas, and Mighty's father is going to be paying for the lot because of all the trouble he caused. The only problem with that, is that this means that Raster's just given him a ticket to make us homeless, but nobody ever listens to my concerns so if this does end in us being on the streets then that's not my fault. It's a shame that Mighty isn't even allowed to see us anymore, but hatred can drive people to make some very strange decisions and Vector and I will just have to accept that.

Upon arriving at the classroom I notice that something isn't quite right about Sally. Her usual confident demeanor simply does not exist anymore. Instead she stands, leaning against the wall, clearly deep in thought. I don't question her body-language. As a deep thinker myself, I know that striking up a conversation, especially one involving small-talk, is the worst thing I could do. If anything I should be glad that she's in the wrong state of mind to make today's theory lesson an absolute nightmare for everyone. I've had enough of her disruption for one day. In the classroom, I find my usual seat next to Amy. She's also dreadful but for different reasons. Amy is that one kid in the cooking class who fucks up absolutely _everything_. She'll find a way to set the oven on fire even with the simplest of things. If I get fifty percent of the fine just for being Amy's cooking partner one more time, I'm going to personally make sure that those security cameras are working by shoving Eggman's face into one.

After the initial lecture from Professor Pickle, the volume in the room rises as everyone talks and gets on with their work. This is nothing compared to Physics. If Food and Nutrition were a beach on a calm day, Physics would probably be a nuclear mushroom cloud with a few, I don't know, asteroids? And maybe a couple of earthquakes just for some extra decibels. It's the beach-type background noise that I thrive in. At least, until the girls start talking.

Sally reaches across the table and taps Amy's book with her pen, and asks, "Amy can I talk to you here?"

"Why? We were together at lunch."

"I know but... It involves somebody who was also there and isn't now," Sally argues, a look of sadness and anger present on her face. I think back to the word wheel from the English lessons: sadness plus anger equals betrayal. She takes a deep breath and continues, "Sonic dumped me this morning."

_Wow. These word wheels really are useful._

"...Really?" Amy looks at Sally in disbelief, with a smile gradually appearing across her face.

"Amy why are you smiling!?"

"Hehe... I have a chance..."

"Fuck you Amy! You're supposed to comfort me and tell me it's going to be okay! Not say you're gonna... you're gonna _steal_ him!"

"Well he's not exactly _yours_ anymore, is he? I'm pretty sure he never was _yours_ , so there's really nothing for me to steal!"

The argument gets progressively more heated over the next few minutes, all about petty little girl things that mean absolutely nothing to the likes of me whatsoever. What I want to know, is why everybody's so obsessed with Sonic. Sure, he's a prince who can run fast, but he's not even remotely attractive compared to some of the people I know. I look across the table to Rouge, who is looking just as agitated as I feel. Sometimes I feel sorry for her for having to put up with this sort of thing every single day. Another twenty seconds go by before anyone even makes an attempt to stop the argument.

"Oh _please_ , would you two just be quiet? Y'all be bitchin' like lil' girls pretending to be their big sisters! Now shut the _fuck_ up, and lemme get on with ma _fuckin'_ work, before I smash ya fuckin' _faces_ in with ya own whack-a-mole set!"

Rouge's outburst doesn't just shut up Amy and Sally - it shuts up the rest of the class too. I begin to wonder where Professor Pickle was during this entire ordeal, because I don't see him anywhere and I don't remember him leaving. I take advantage of the new silence by returning to my work.


	11. Chapter 11

**\--Sonic POV--**

The plan worked like a charm. Vector wasn't too happy with me but he's not in my group so, frankly, I couldn't care less about his opinion. There's literally only one genre in the world of music that all four of us are all good at, and if I have to fight for it then I will.

I exit the main music classroom and cut across the Performance block to Practice Room 3. Manic has exclusive access to this room because he's the only kid in the year group who can actually play the drums and not sound like they're trying to blow up a music store. It's also got a keyboard and a Mac for Sonia and room for whatever Shadow and I decide to bring in, usually a guitar of some sort. He's better at bass than I am, mainly because he can actually hold the thing, but electric is my territory. We used to split the guitar roles between us but this genre calls for some crazy-fast finger skills and I'm nominating myself for that job. I push the door open and slide in behind Manic. Somehow, he still notices me over the din he's making with the symbols.

"Where've you been?" he asks, tossing the drumsticks to one side and accidentally smacking another symbol. Sonia leaps forwards and catches the drumsticks, but not without falling into the arms of an unsuspecting Shadow, who then shoves her into the wall and continues staring at his feet.

"I've um... how do I put this, err... I'VE ONLY GONE AND GOT US ROCK!"

"What!?"

"No way!"

"How the hell did you do that?"

I grin at their reactions. "Good question, Shadow. I basically scrapped Vector's group and the teacher for it and promised that we wouldn't mess around or blast the roof off anything."

"I hope you didn't actually scrap the teacher."

"No, Sonia, I didn't. Anyway um, as you guys know," I continue, directing the following part at Shadow, "good things don't come without a price, correct?"

"...What do you mean?"

"I'm taking lead guitar. No ifs, no buts."

A look of disbelief appears on Shadow's face. "So... what am I gonna do?"

"Sing."

It takes a moment for him to register the idea. I step back a little, hoping he won't get too mad at me for this. He looks desperately at Manic, as if asking him to do something, but my brother just smiles, attempting to hold back a "this is gonna be so fucking hilarious" laugh.

"What's the matter? Has the Ultimate Life Form got stage fright or something?" I tease. He stays silent and turns away from me. He's obviously considering it, but, as I suspected, we won't be able to convince him this easily. He shakes his head. A clear 'no'.

"Okay how about we do some of these worksheets instead of practical work then? Because a rock band without a singer is next to useless-"

"I'll sing!"

"Manic, you're not helping."

I swipe up the worksheets from the desk and distribute them between us. For the next twenty minutes the four of us sit in silence and fill everything in, one question by one. For as long as Shadow keeps his mouth shut, there will be no music. Mainly because he's the only one of us who can actually sing in the way we need him too. Sure, Sonia's good for soft stuff, and I can rap and Manic sounds like a donkey so he'd be good on the silly songs, but none of us can do rock and believe me, we've tried. We're absolute trash. I'm very thankful that I caught Shadow singing in Year 9. _I Am All Of Me_ by _Crush 40_ , if I remember correctly, and my god he was good. He still doesn't forgive me for listening to the whole thing though. However he did appreciate that I actually knew the song. Rock music isn't all that popular nowadays.

After question fifteen I begin to get extremely bored. It's not like me to sit still for this long but it has to be done. I rest my head on the desk and and close my eyes and think about the times where assigning band roles was never a problem. When I was about 11, me, Sonia and Manic started a really crappy rock band and we'd go busking around on the streets in disguise, just for fun. Manic would drum, Sonia would play keyboard and I'd do everything else. We called ourselves 'Underground' and nobody ever recognized us as royals. Sonia enjoyed having a break from the fame and Manic felt right at home in the streets but I never liked going undercover. Center stage is where I belong. I used to dream that I could be just like Freddy Mercury, going on tour and having a blast on stage. Then there was the superhero phase where I wanted to be super and save the world from all sorts of peril and have music as a hobby. Then there were the little dreams after that, like acting, dancing, athletics (though that wouldn't be at all fair on anyone else), and car racing, and I could do it all if I really wanted to. All I've got to do is choose a route and stick to it. It sounds easy. But it's really not.

**\--Espio POV--**

The awkward silence is broken by Professor Pickle opening the door with nothing other than his feet. He kicks the door wide enough for him to be able to run inside the classroom without dropping the massive amount of cooking equipment in his arms. He dumps it all on the empty space on his desk, trying desperately not to let anything fall off the side and failing miserably.

"Um, would somebody care to help me out with these bowls before I break something?" he asks, becoming increasingly embarrassed. I volunteer to help him. I'll do anything to get out of Amy's reach in these lessons whether we're cooking or not. I take an armful of bowls and put some stuff inside them so I won't drop anything and arrange everything neatly in the right cupboards and drawers. He gives me access to the Staff Only walk-in cupboard at the back of the classroom to put the bowls away.

The Staff cupboard is way bigger than I'd ever imagined. It's even bigger than the prop cupboard in the Drama Studio. Well, there's more walking space in here anyway. There's washing machines and dishwashers and boxes... wait, dishwashers? All this time we've been made to wash everything by hand after practical and there have been dishwashers in here the entire time? I guess it teaches us life skills, but when there are better and faster alternatives, why waste time? Slightly pissed off by this discovery, I check all the boxes on the shelves, trying to find the one where the bowls go. I lose track of time during my search.

"Espio? Sir's gonna start the demo for next lesson soon. Are you alright in there?" asks the voice of Sally a while later.

"Tell him I can't find the box for the bowls."

"Oh, that box? He has it with him."

"Wow. He could have told me that."

Time wasters. Everyone. I leave the cupboard and squeeze past the circle of students stood around the front desk and dump the bowls in the bowl box. Pickle thanks me, and I stand behind everyone else and watch the demonstration for next lesson. It only lasts about ten minutes, full of 'here's-one-I-made-earlier's and 'let's-pretend-we-actually-waited-half-an-hour's, and in the second half, Amy becomes the "glamorous assistant". I have to bite my tongue to stop myself from bursting out in laughter at the thought of Amy ever becoming something of glamour. I don't really hate her as such, nor do I find her particularly gruesome to look at, but some people just aren't worth anyone's time or my effort and she is one of them. Why pick the most annoying person on the planet to help you?

The lessons ends with her almost dropping the demo pizza. I don't even know why she was carrying it. I pack my stuff away and get out of the classroom as fast as I can before something else happens. On the way to my dorm I become lost in a daydream about Amy getting a jug of boiling water to the foot and walk straight into the new kid. He frantically apologizes even though it was my mistake, and carries on running ahead into the dorm blocks.

"Why is he in such a rush?" I whisper to myself. It's his first day here. Surely he's not running away from people already. I look behind me, and everything seems very normal. Nobody appears to be chasing him or anything. I shake off any curiosity. It's just the detective thing, I'm sure of it. Curiosity and detecting must run in the family.


	12. Chapter 12

**\--Silver POV--**

I leg it up the stairs as fast as I can and dash into 4B before anyone else can see me running. If I'm going to dispose of evidence I'm going to have to do it before anyone else gets back. I dive under my bed and pull out my boots and coat and carefully detach the brass plates with the logos on them, turn them backwards and fix them back on. I have to bite the little clips to get them to open and close so the plates won't fall off. Then I flip the right boot over and use the sharp parts on the coat's zipper to scratch off the logo stamped into the sole. I finish with seconds to spare. Manic comes in with no warning just as I kick my coat back under the bed.

"Hey Silver. If you see Sonic or Shadow tell them I won't be staying here tonight. Forgot to mention it to 'em in Music."

I look at him with confusion. This is his dorm, so where else would he stay?

"Where are you going?"

"Next-door. It's full up there but I'd rather sleep on the floor than in here," he answers. He strides past me and gets halfway up the ladder to top bunk in one step and yanks the duvet off his bed, then, wearing the thing like a cape, leaves the dorm without another word. There's only one next-door, which is 4D, and that's where Knuckles is. I know Knuckles doesn't like the people in his dorm from what he said this morning, or at least he doesn't seem to like them, and Knuckles seems like a nice guy. I doubt Manic would want to sleep on the floor just to spend the night with one nice person though, so either he's one of, or is friends with, the "dickheads" that Knuckles was describing this morning. Or the people in this dorm are horrible. Maybe the "dickheads" that Knuckles was describing are the same "dickheads" that Sonic told me about at lunch, and Manic was one of them. If Manic's recently gone from Sonic's friendship group, which most of 4B seem to be in now, to the Dickheads group, then that might mean that at least one of the dickheads is in 4D with Knuckles and Manic's staying with them. Either way, Manic seems like trouble.

I drop my bag onto the bed and rummage through the contents to find my Math homework. I decide it would be better to do it now rather than leave it until I inevitably forget. About 5 minutes after I start the work, I'm interrupted by people entering once again.

"You know I hate singing in front of other people!"

"Well you could always record it separately then Sonia'll edit it into whatever we do. We need your voice, Shadzy!"

"Don't call me Shadzy."

Sonic and Shadow argue about Music for another few minutes until they realize I'm in here. When they finally go quiet I decide to fill them in about Manic. Neither of them seem too impressed.

"This is happening every other night now. I don't know why he likes it so much in there," Shadow complains.

"He took the duvet. He's gonna be sleeping on the floor, apparently," I add.

"Well I wouldn't expect him to sleep in the same bed as anyone else."

"I bet Espio would enjoy that," Sonic cuts in. I search my memory for someone called Espio but I don't remember anything from today's lessons.

"You've got to be kidding, right? Even his taste isn't that bad."

"You'd be surprised, Shadow. He once told me he had a thing for Mighty a few years ago."

"Still not as bad as Manic."

There's another silence for at least half an hour. I finish my homework and stuff it back into my bag. Top set maths isn't anywhere near as hard as I thought it would be. The stuff I didn't understand before is all making sense now. I've only had one lesson but I can safely say that I much prefer Omega's teaching methods to Gamma's.

_Wait a sec... Gamma was on the news at Cream's house! How come I didn't notice that before? Maybe I was too caught up in how I might have destroyed everything just by being here... Yeah that'll be it._

I push Gamma to the back of my mind. In this time, he is nothing more than the GUN mathematician. His teaching career does not exist. I change the subject by starting another conversation.

"Who's Espio?" I ask. Sonic is the one to reply, and only then do I remember him from the introduction at lunch.

"Espio? He's that badass ninja chameleon. Gayest thing alive. Good at everything."

"Chameleon?" I confirm.

"Yeah, why?"

"...I think I might have almost shoved him over earlier. He looked kinda startled-"

"Shoved him over? What the hell were you doing?"

I sigh and shake my head. "...It doesn't matter."

**\--Jet POV--**

Pens, crayons, erasers, scissors... These classrooms have everything except what I need! I yank open a drawer and rummage through there too, only to find it full to the brim with glue sticks. There must be fifty of them in there. A discovery like this could get me kudos from all over the school! There's usually only one for every fifty people at most. I could distribute these around the block and take all of the credit for it, seeing as nobody will have helped me, and then we'll never have to have paper falling out of our books every twenty seconds ever again! It's a genius plan but I can't do it right now. I've got some sticky notes to find. I make a mental note of the glue sticks' location and continue turning the entire classroom upside-down for what I thought was an essential item of stationary. Obviously not.

At eight o'clock the lights inside the blocks turn out. The only buildings with the lights still on are the Social block and the Dorms. I knew it was only going to be a matter of time before I get caught in here but I wasn't expecting to last this long. I also wasn't expecting it to take so long to find a packet or two of goddamn sticky notes. Three classrooms, seven cabinets and eighteen drawers later I decide it would be a better idea to search the staff rooms. I take out a box of Wave's feather grips from my pocket. They're useful for everything, especially picking locks. She doesn't know I take them. I think it would be better if she didn't know because she'd lose her head if she found out it's been me who's been taking them all along. Fifteen Rings for a set of twenty two. Seems a little expensive for a box full of bent metal wires, I thought, but I hid some money in her dorm for her to use to replace them if need be.

It takes me less than twenty seconds to pick the lock. That's a new personal record and the first sub-twenty I've ever had in the dark. It's a shame I couldn't time it to the millisecond though. Four more sets of drawers and I reach the items worth more to me than gold right now. Stacks of sticky notes in one drawer. Why is it that teachers always have to keep their own little stashes of everything? Why not just share it all out? A little bit of communism never hurt anybody. Before I take anything, I whip a calculator off the desk and do a little math. I only want to cover the walls and the ceiling of Egghead's office with the sticky notes and his room is only three by three by three meters approximately so let's see here... 200 sticky notes in a pack, 5cm x 5cm so that's a surface area of 5 x 5 x 200 per pack which is 5000cm2, so converted to meters that's 5m2. 3m x 3m = 9m2 which is the surface area of one wall, and we're covering five so 9m2 x 5 is 45m2. For the packets we do 45m2 ÷ 5m2 = 9 packets. I take 10 out of the drawer just in case the approximation of size was slightly off. After all, it's better to have too many than not enough. Then I remember the different colours and take two more. I don't have time to figure it out with the ratios of colours in the patterns taken into account as well. Wave's the brains of the Babylon Rogues, not me. She's the brains, I'm the looks, Storm's the... Storm's the motivation. I re-lock everything and dash over to social with a minute and a half to spare.

I know Sonic well enough to know that he is punctual, always on time, and never late no matter what. I stare at my digital watch and count the seconds until 21:00 and he emerges from the stairwell just as the digits tick over.

"What excuse did you give 'em this time, oh wise one?" he asks, with the usual cocky smile.

"I didn't," I answer bluntly. I take him to Eggman's office. I am a very regular visitor of this place and would recognize the office with my eyes closed. Outside the door, I distribute the sticky notes between us. "Six for you... and six for me. You take the low parts, I'll get up high."

"How come I always have to stay low when we do stuff like this?"

"The clue's in the species, doofus. I'm a hawk. I belong up high. You're a hedgehog. Hedges aren't in the sky. Now quit whining like a little child."

"I'm not!"

"Yes you are! You don't wanna break the streak, do you?"

"Alright, alright! I'll get sticking!"

I give my blueprints to Sonic so he knows exactly what he's doing. I have them memorized. A clear image in my mind: a fluorescent version of the 'Café Wall Illusion' on three out of four walls, making the parallel lines of sticky notes appear to be bent whilst burning your light receptors out with the brightness, and a 'Fraser Spiral Illusion' on the ceiling with a multicolored fake spiral that would take an infinite amount of time to trace because they're actually just circles, and a 'Herman Grid Illusion' with that strange black-dot effect on the wall with the door, just to fuck with Eggman even more when he decides he can't take this shitfuckery anymore and tries to leave. You can't say I don't do my research for these pranks, can you?

It's twenty three minutes past midnight when we finish. Sonic and I step back and admire our handiwork and I must say, it is positively _trippy_. Everywhere we look there's another vomit-inducing arrangement of sticky notes plastered onto a wall. It would only take about twenty seconds to swipe them all off again but I can already tell that this was well worth the effort. Sonic and I call it quits for the week and head back over to our dorms, and sign off with the salute that's been an inside joke for months: a single finger-bump. Like a fist bump, but with a bent finger each instead. I can't remember how we invented it and neither can Sonic, but it's become a permanent part of our pranking now.


	13. Chapter 13

**\--Shadow POV--**

Last night I slept better than I have in weeks. No Manic to annoy the heck out of me, no Sonic tossing and creaking the bunk bed whilst I'm trying to get to sleep, and if it wasn't for Silver I'd have been entirely alone, but he's surprisingly quiet. I don't even need to sleep but Rouge says I get cranky when I don't. I could say the same for her. Her sleep pattern's even more fucked up than mine and when she doesn't sleep, the whole world knows. But I'm going to be cranky today anyway if Sonic keeps up how he's going. Music's first and I'm not singing, even if it means I have to go to Vector's group. I'll admit, Sonic almost convinced me with the whole record it separately in a different room thing, but someone's still gonna have to hear it at some point.

I slept so well that I missed my alarm. It doesn't beep or anything. I had to find one for deaf people that vibrates the pillow because everyone else gets cranky when my old alarm wakes them all up at 6:30. This thing's been vibrating for over an hour and I failed to wake up until Sonic slammed the bathroom door. I reach under my pillow and turn it off before it runs out of battery and turns off by itself. That happened once last year. I hadn't slept for a whole week so I went to bed, set the alarm, it didn't go off and I slept for 36 hours straight, and everyone thought it would be a good idea just to let it happen.

By the time I'm ready to leave the dorm it's almost twenty past eight. The thing that takes the longest in a morning is getting my quills to bend in the way I want them to, which is way easier said than done. When I get outside I figure that I really needn't have bothered. It's fucking _windy_. I try to make a quick retreat back into the dorm block only to find myself getting hardly anywhere because the wind is that strong, and simultaneously being hit in the face by leaves and a ton paper on the way. I grab a lamppost for support and turn in the direction of the wind, holding my free hand up to protect my face from further pummeling. When I dare to open my eyes again I'm greeted by a very windswept headmaster clutching some very broken-looking binders and a laptop with paper flying all over the place.

"Shadow could you be kind enough as to help me out here please?" he shouts above the wind.

"Good morning to you too, Ivo," I reply sarcastically, whilst slowly unsticking myself from the lamppost. He hands me the binders and on the painstakingly long journey to his office he lectures me about how I'm not supposed to call him Ivo anymore, but I couldn't care less. 'Dr. Robotnik' makes him seem like a 300 IQ evil mastermind, and whilst he might have an IQ of 300, there's no way he'd be capable of anything even remotely evil. He'd turn into a bumbling mess before anything like that would happen. He'd probably try, but he wouldn't get anywhere compared to the likes of Zavok or Dark Gaia. And for god's sake, he's a headmaster of a boarding school! He won't even have time to think about that stuff.

Safely inside the Social block, I arrange the paper in the binders in a way where they aren't sticking out the sides anymore and so it actually looks slightly neat. I don't change the order, just fold the paper a little more nicely. I follow the sound of Ivo's footsteps instead of looking where I'm going, which I know is a death wish, but the paper is annoying me more than the little voice inside my head telling me that if I don't look where I'm going then I'll break my neck on the stairs. I don't notice him stopping at the entrance to his office and walk straight into him. He doesn't say anything. He just looks at me like I'm that kind of dog that shits in your shoe every time you leave the room, then turns back to the monstrosity that is his office.

Neon. Everywhere.

I immediately recognize the trick. Only Jet and his cronies would be able to pull off something like this. Ivo and I step inside and discover the full force of the madness that they've created. From the door, it only looked like one surface was covered, but they've done _five_ , each with a different dizzying pattern. I have to grab onto the desk to stop myself from falling over. I look back behind me to see how Ivo is faring and he seems completely fine, then I notice a new grid-like pattern on the back wall with little floaty dots in it but whenever I look at the dots they disappear. I tear my eyes away from it before the nausea gets to my stomach. Instead, I look up at the wall in front of me and immediately regret it when I see that the lines aren't even straight, but upon closer observation I realize that they are straight, just a bitch to look at. I make the mistake of looking up at the ceiling at all the half-folded overlapping sticky notes all in a swirl, and, stupidly, I try to trace it but find that I'm getting nowhere, and the more I think about it the more nauseous I become.

I don't notice Ivo catching me when I fall. I don't notice him carrying me outside and laying me on the floor. When I wake up again, it takes all of my energy just to sit up. When my head stops spinning and the burning sensation in my veins subsides, I attempt to stand, but Ivo stops me.

"I'm going to take you to the medical room," he announces, reaching towards me. Alarm bells ring in my head and I smack his hand away in retaliation.

"Don't touch me! I'll go by myself." I get back up on my feet, glaring at him to make sure he doesn't try anything like that again. Not thinking about my actions, I stride past him and, keeping my eyes partially closed, swipe all of the sticky notes off the walls and leave them on the floor. I don't even try to clear the ceiling because I know there's no way I'm going to be able to reach it. I know Jet, and most-likely Sonic, weren't planning to screw me over. They'll have wanted Ivo instead. And here I am, ruining their artwork that I wasn't even supposed to see and not feeling even slightly bad about it. I pause for a second and think about the situation. "And in case you're wondering," I shout towards Ivo, "I have no idea who did this either, so it's no good asking me."

That's the first and last time I will ever vouch for them. But that doesn't mean I'm letting them get away scot free.

I take Ivo's advice and head to the medical room. Mainly because I want to skip as much of Music as possible, but after a quick check over, the school nurse deices that I'm fine to continue with the day and I'm discharged before the lesson even starts, but I'm given a sick note anyway as a precaution. I decide to take my time getting to lesson and use the note as an excuse for when I'm late. I'll say I got dizzy again on the way.

The detour I settle on involves going the long way past the Creative block and walking Rouge to her Food and Nutrition lesson simply because I want to, then coming back round behind Discovery and cutting across back to Performance. The trip takes seven minutes, as opposed to 30 seconds. I could just go straight into Practice Room 3, but I'd rather get yelled at and excused than have someone chasing me up about how I supposedly skipped Period 1. Not even a second after I enter the Music room I'm already being bombarded by people telling me I'm late, as if I don't already know. I throw the note onto the teacher's desk and leave before he can ask me any incriminating questions. Now to give Sonic a piece of my mind. I find him stood outside PR3 with Sonia and Manic.

"Will Sir hurry up and get the key? We've been stood here... what, eight minutes?"

"Shut up Manic. Shadow's here. Where've you been?" Sonia asks. I ignore her and go straight to Sonic.

"Where were you last night?"

"How come you're only asking now?" He replies, slightly offended that I seem to not care about his disappearance. And I didn't until I got caught up in it.

"You were with Jet, weren't you," I press on. He tries to deny it but I keep talking to shut him up. "You two put sticky notes all over his office, didn't you?"

That shuts him up, and I take the opportunity to really show him what I'm capable of.

"You wanted to get Ivo, huh? You and that silly little bird tried to get Ivo so dizzy that he'd fucking... keel over or something... and guess what?"

"What?"

"You FAILED, Faker. You. FAILED. Wanna know how you did that?"

"How...?"

"YOU GOT ME INSTEAD!" He steps back, startled by my shouting. I could, and probably should go louder, but I won't. I don't need a corridor ban. "You two and your SILLY LITTLE STICKY NOTES, got me so fuckin' NAUSEATED that I COLLAPSED. AND IVO HAD TO CARRY ME OUTSIDE!"

"He... he carried you?"

"Congratulations! You have sufficient hearing!"

I step away from Sonic, and feel myself getting gradually more angry as the three of them start snickering at my misfortune. I spin back round and walk up to Sonic until out noses are almost touching.

"And I vouched for you," I growl, glaring right into his eyes and poking his shoulder. "I could have gotten you into severe trouble and I decided not to. That's how nice I am. Hmph."

All four of us become quiet now. For the next few minutes I attempt to cool off a little. It doesn't last long.

"Shadow, if you think vouching for Sonic is going to get you out of singing, You'd be very, very wrong," scolds Sonia. "You're going to have to try a whole lot harder if you want to get a different role."

I can't help but agree with her. I had a go at Espio for clutching at straws yesterday and now I'm doing it. I'm a hypocrite. Soon after Sonia makes it clear that I'm definitely not getting out of this, the Music teacher finally shows up with the key. He returns the note in case I need to use it again, and unlocks the door for us. It's a miracle he didn't hear me shouting. Or at least, I don't think he heard me shouting. He's not mentioning it if he did. The four of us enter PR3 as soon as he leaves.


	14. Chapter 14

**\--Rouge POV--**

Shadow's in a strange mood today. He never walks me to lessons even when I want him to, and he looked kinda spaced-out. I tried asking him what happened but he said he'd explain later when he has more time. That's also pretty strange seeing as he was obviously avoiding the first few minutes of his lesson, and I wouldn't have minded skipping mine if it'd have got him to tell me. So he walked me to my lesson and people asked what was happening, shipping us left right and center, you know the biz. Nobody ever leaves us alone just because we're two good friends who just happen to be of the opposite sex. Heck, he even wished me luck with the pizza. This must be the strangest he's ever been.

A simple, pepperoni pizza. That's all I intend to make. No fruits. No veggies. No chili. Just bread, sauce, cheese and salami. It's hardly ambitious but this subject was a pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey choice anyway. I catch Amy in the corner of my eye taking some pineapple slices out of the community fridge. Anyone who puts pineapple on a pizza is automatically a disgrace against all Mobians. I'm not even going to try to accept that she likes it. It's just stupid.

I grab a stack of aprons off the shelf in the staff cupboard and hand them out to everyone. The aprons are a disgrace too. Not everyone on the planet is 2-foot-nine with a six-inch waist, but the silly little Year 7s thinks it's funny to tie up the aprons so tight that not even the tiniest, skinniest person on the plant can get them on, and the knots are too tight to undo, but nobody ever complains for fear of being called fat. Espio is the first to say anything this morning. Someone's tied up his apron so tight that he can't even get his head in it. he's about to take scissors to the straps when I stop him.

"Alright Espio, that's enough wrestling with the apron for you today. Toss it."

He passes me the apron and I remove my gloves so I can attempt to disassemble the knotting by prising it apart with my nails, and after a few attempts the knots give way and loosen just enough for Espio to be able to get his head in it, but I still have to grab one side of the apron and drag it down past his horn.

"Ya know, I remember one time in History when we learnt about how posh women used to get people to dress them," I tell him, whilst trying not to strangle him with the apron. "And now we've got a woman, common as muck, dressing a posh man. Talk about role-reversal."

"I am not posh," he retorts, gritting his teeth as the apron finally gives in to us.

"Yes you are, hun, and you know it."

Once everyone's ready Professor Pickle tells us we can begin. He gave us recipes last lesson in case we forget parts of the demo, which if I'm honest was barely a demo to begin with. He hardly did anything, just showed us a load of pre-made stuff, so we learnt pretty much nothing from it. I follow the recipe step-by-step, starting by making the bread dough, but there seems to be something missing.

"Sal," I ask my very floured-up cooking partner, "are we not gonna knead this or anything?"

"The recipe doesn't say anything about it. Why?"

"If we don't knead the dough this thing's gonna turn out like a biscuit."

"Ehh. I always liked the crispier pizzas anyway." She removes the dough from her bowl, rolls it out and spreads the sauce around without even making an attempt to treat her dough like bread.

_How very useful..._

I turn to Espio and Amy for a more logical answer.

"Just follow the recipe, Rouge. It can't be that difficult just to follow a recipe," Amy answers. Espio rolls his eyes and comes over to me.

"Don't listen to her. I've made pizza before and it does indeed turn out like a biscuit if you don't knead it enough. Knead it until it springs back up when you prod it," he whispers. It's very handy to have someone like him around who actually knows what he's talking about. I take to kneading the dough just as he said to, giving it the occasional poke to judge how much is left to do. By the time I'm done I'm way behind everyone else, but that doesn't matter. Unlike Sally, I prefer the softer pizzas that are floppy and require some serious neck-gymnastics to eat with minimal mess, with the cheese only slightly melted so it's still recognizable as grated cheese, whilst still allowing for that _gorgeous_ drip-effect. It's even better when the sauce is still runny and not evaporated to the point of full vaporization so the cheese slides around as you bite it. Just thinking about the end result of this pizza is making my mouth water but I can't collect it until dinner. I tip the grated cheese onto the pizza and spread it around carefully, when a deafening crash behind me scares me out of my skin, and all my efforts to be careful are wasted when the entire bag of cheese ends up on the pizza. I turn around, looking for an explanation, and find bits of pineapple and Chaos-knows what else all over the floor.

"Sorry... I kinda dropped it..."

"There's no 'kinda' about it, Amy, you nearly broke the oven door with that thing! Again!" Espio exclaims, in the quietest shout he can muster whilst still trying to sound angry. "If my father gets fined _one more time_ because of your clumsiness-"

I decide to cut in before an argument breaks out. "-I think we ought to ban Amy from the ovens before she blows the place up, would you agree?"

"Rouge! I'm not that bad!"

"Yes you are, babe, yes you are, now clean up that mess before someone slips in it. Chaos, where's Gooden Roomsey where you need him..."

**\--Sonia POV--**

Sonic still won't give up trying to get Shadow to sing. He's agreed so sing when nobody's around and there's nothing to record him, but that's literally useless in our situation. Meanwhile, I sit at the keyboard and try to find some sound effects that could be even remotely useful. All I can find are animal noises and millions of different types of bongos. At this rate, the keyboard might not even be usable and my role will be limited to soundtrack editor only. I return to the piano setting and push a few keys. Sure, there can be piano in a rock song, but that doesn't happen often. Not unless it's "Never Turn Back" by Crush 40... or Shadow's favourite song of all time.

_Piano in a rock song? Heh, I've got this covered._

A few more keys later I begin to form a plan in my head to get Shadow to sing. All I have to do is find the right note. It's hard to do that when the headphones are missing and you're absolutely tone-deaf when trying to hear the sounds in your head, so I turn to Gooqle for the sheet music. The first note is all I'll need.

"Sonic, stop arguing with Shadow for a minute and get him to listen to this," I interrupt. As soon as I get Shadow's attention, I ramp up the volume on the keyboard and play a G. Slow, loud, and clear. "If you sing for us, I will learn how to play the entire song. In my own spare time."

He won't need me to tell him which song it is. I'm yet to meet a fan of emo music who doesn't get triggered by the universally-famous G-note.

"...The entire song?"

"Yep. Might even submit it if it goes well. But only if you sing."

"If I say yes... you're never gonna let me live it down, are you?"

"Nope."

He sighs, and then makes his decision. "...Fine. I'll do it. Just not in here. Name a song and I'll go to PR2 with the recording stuff."

_Mission accomplished._

Sonic and Manic look at me, astounded by my ability to persuade. I turn around and return to the computer, basking in the glory of finally winning Shadow over. I set him a task and, without any more arguments, he exits the Practice Room to next door. As soon as he leaves, Sonic practically explodes with pure amazement at my victory.

"How did you know that he likes Block Parade?"

"Last time he logged into this computer when the headphones were still around, I took a few nosy little peeks at his playlist and saw that he'd played Block Parade seven times during that lesson," I explain, with a huge grin on my face.

"I can't believe this. He keeps telling people he's not emo and then he proceeds to play emo music on repeat for an hour. What a guy."

"It is possible to like emo music without being emo, you know," Manic says.

"Bro, he even looks emo!" Sonic laughs. "His cupboard's got nothing in it but ripped skinny jeans and black hoodies!"

"They might be comfortable!"

"Last time I checked, putting your foot through the knee of a ripped jean leg and slicing your toe off with the loose bits of thread is _not_ comfortable."

"You're just a noob at clothes. Now get to work, you clothes noob."

The three of us descend into a laughing fit and eventually end up doing what Manic says. This is gonna be _great_.


	15. Chapter 15

**\--Espio POV--**

What I would give to have an off-switch for my brain... I'll try to do that and suddenly I'm contemplating the reproduction system of Smurfs. I guess it's fitting for the lesson but I'm pretty sure learning about the workings of extremely unrealistic movie characters in a Biology lesson isn't on the curriculum. I don't even know where the idea of Smurfs came from. It just sort of popped into my head about twenty minutes ago and now it just won't leave me alone. I think about some real weird shit sometimes but I don't think I've ever stooped so low. I guess they'd be a bit like bees. One female Smurf with about a hundred male Smurfs. But then wouldn't something like this require the female to lay eggs so the males can go hump them or something? That's a scary thought. All these ugly little blue things humping some eggs.

_What the fuck, brain? Why do you do this to yourself?_

I tear my mind away from the disturbing images my mind's eye is producing and make an attempt to focus on the lesson, but upon looking at my book I notice that whilst I was busy trying to sort out my very questionable subconscious, I'd been drawing very dodgy-looking Smurfs in the top left corner of my page. In ink. Once again, I lose concentration on the lesson and add some extra lines to the Smurf diagrams to make the look a little less like Smurfs and more like boredom-induced scribble. Biology wouldn't be anywhere near as bad if I actually enjoyed the current content. The people in this class are the exact same people as in Physics, just a whole lot less wild. It's like their personalities depend solely on who's teaching.

In Chemistry they're great. Chemistry in general is great. It's easy, the people are unrecognizably normal, and the teacher doesn't hate my guts. Biology depends on what we're learning. Nothing else. And we usually end up doing pretty weird stuff to learn the content. I remember one particularly strange Biology lesson where we learnt about how sample size affects the outcome of a survey or a test, and the entire lesson was Knuckles, Shadow, Tails and I picking set numbers of beads out a jar blindfolded and recording how many of each colour we got. There were 100 blue and 10 red beads in the jar, and I picked out a total of 140 beads in about fourteen turns and every single one was red. It's safe to assume that I learnt nothing from that lesson except that I give everything I touch type 2 diabetes whilst simultaneously curing someone who already had it. Maybe I could eradicate diabetes altogether by dipping my hands in some sawdust, and then burning the sawdust. Burning the sawdust probably wouldn't do anything other than give me the false impression that I'm actually destroying a disease, because the disease will live on in the ashes that people are gonna breathe in and stuff. Diabetes isn't exactly contagious but I'd still have to go around knowing that we're all breathing diabetic air, all because I burnt some sawdust that I impregnated with diabetes.

_Weird thoughts. Again._

Fuck it. I can't concentrate on this lesson even when I try. I stagger through my work, being constantly distracted by the thought of burning smurfs and diabetic sawdust eggs and I barely finish before the end of the lesson. It's only the second day back and I'm already driving myself insane.

Most of Break is spent by explaining my theories to Vector and Ray, and watching them become progressively more concerned about my mental state. When they make it clear that they really cannot help me in the matter, I ask them to give me something else to think about before my brain is ground into sludge.

"How about you d-do that m-meditation stuff?" Ray suggests.

"You remember last time I tried to meditate during school hours? Never again."

"Alright so yer may 'ave got someone pourin' water all over yer that one time, but it ain't happenin' again if yer do it inside," Vector argues.

"We have literally two minutes until Math. Two minutes won't do anything to help me."

As soon as I mention the word "Math", Vector starts giving me a load of quick-fire math questions. Mental math isn't really my strong point but I try anyway. Ray takes his calculator out of his pocket and checks my answers against the calculator's, and my answers are right, with the exception of four.

"It s-seems as if the common error in your m-mental math is that you seem to think six times eight i-is forty-two. Six add seven is-is also not eleven, Espio. I have no idea how uh y-you're um in top set math, honestly. I-I mean you will um... y-you'll have got a lot of questions wrong w-with that."

I think about what Ray just said for a while and realize that after all this time, I've been lied to. I'll accept that I'm a bit silly for not knowing that six eights are forty-eight, but I'll be taking as little responsibility as I can for thinking six add seven is eleven. I think I must have lived about eight years of my life thinking that the answer to six plus seven was eleven purely because it rhymed, and that math didn't matter for that question because I was told that rhyming was always right, and it was drilled into my six-year-old brain that I should use rhyming instead of counting on my fingers. I'm gonna kill Raster next time I see him. Who knows how many questions I've got wrong just because I lacked a sufficient sense of humor as a kid? First, I get stuck in an apron and have to get Rouge to dress me. Then Amy destroys the oven. Then I start thinking about obsessively-horny Smurfs. Then I start thinking about burning stuff. Then I imagine how unpleasant it would be to have your brains ground into sludge by the obsessively-horny Smurfs. Then I find out that my life is a lie.

And it's only 11:30.

Math takes my mind off everything and for the rest of the day I completely forget what was bothering me so much this morning. It only takes Vector bringing it up after school hours are over to get me thinking again.

"You know what, Vector? I need answers. I'll be in the dorm if you need me."

I make my way over to dorm 4D, silently praying that nobody's in. I don't need anyone thinking I have a Smurf fetish. It's already bad enough with just Vector. I need to make sure that I don't just go Gooqling stuff though. Incognito mode exists for a reason. So does "do not track" which is a little less suspicious-looking but it's just not the same. I'll turn both on, just to be on the safe side, and maybe turn the monitor away from the door in case anyone does come in, which would give me enough time to close whatever windows I have open. And I'll keep CraftMine open in the background or something. You can never be too careful when using school internet to rid your own sick fantasies.

_Just stop thinking, Es, you're making it sound like you're into this stuff._

I end up scrolling through various threads on Blueit and having a few debates with the odd Blueitor who for some reason are thinking the same things, and find myself reading various dodgy Smurf fanfictions, just to get a sense of the mechanics of it all, and suddenly, all windows close and I'm logged off the computer. After a few seconds, the screen goes red and a little angry-looking emoticon pops up with the following error message:

**_Student E-Vaso, you have been temporarily banned from all computer systems and internet access provided by the academy for:_ **

_**[18 DAYS]** _

**_If you believe this was an error, or wish for the ban to be temporarily removed for essential work, please discuss this with Dr. I-Robotnik. Thank you._ **

I stare at the screen in shock for a few minutes. I took all of the precautions I could possibly have taken, so how did they know?

Luckily, I know Vector's username and password. I'm not sick enough to continue my search on his account though, and I won't log straight back in as him either, because that would be pretty obvious to whoever's watching this computer. I wait ten minutes, then try to log in, praying that he hasn't changed his password. Then I remember that we're not even allowed to change our passwords anymore. Since the school got hacked by a bootleg CraftMine virus, the entire system's been reset and everyone had passwords assigned to them, all with the same general formula: A four-letter word beginning with 'B', three numbers, then a random 5-letter word. Obviously this gave some pretty lucky (or sometimes unlucky) combinations. When we had to go and collect our new passwords, I had a look at everyone else's just out of curiosity. Bash118child, Bees666party, Back764doors, but nothing compared to mine. Bent135women. Of course I'm the one who gets bent. There were only Vector and Scourge's passwords that seemed to be even remotely normal. As I type in Vector's details, I silently pray that the Red Screen of Angry won't come up again. It takes me three tries to get the username right. I stare at the screen and search for any signs of potential error and trace the words to make sure I've typed everything correctly.

**Username: V-Chasquido**

**Password: ••••••••••••**

** LOGIN **

I mentally cross my fingers that I've waited long enough to not risk Vector being banned too. Once I'm in, I open up another Incognito window and read the disclaimer again.

* * *

You've gone incognito

Now you can browse privately, and other people who use this device won't see your activity. However, downloads and bookmarks will be saved.

Gooqle _won't save_ the following information:

  * Your browsing history
  * Biscuits and site data
  * Information entered in forms



Your activity _might still be visible_ to:

  * Websites you visit
  * Your employer or school
  * Your internet service provider. 



* * *

_Ah. That's why._

I close everything and log out. I think about the consequences of having an uncontrollable mind, and the list unreels like how a cat unreels toilet paper. I really ought to regain control over my head before I get myself arrested or something. I consider meditating, but then I realize that I'm really not in the mood. I just want to sleep, but I can't even do that. Sleeping in this dorm is a dangerous activity. I'd be lucky if I get a bed with sheets and a full night's sleep without someone pissing on my face, usually Scourge, and since Manic's been staying over, it's been getting even worse. Sometimes, when I remember, I sleep with my head under the pillow instead of on top of it. It does endless amounts of damage to my neck but a piss stream to the eye stings way more than an achy spine. Knuckles and Vector got lucky. They claimed the top bunks before Scourge showed up so they're out of the firing line. Not even super laser piss would reach all the way up to top bunk without missing. Or maybe it could. I've never tried it, or seen anyone try it. Something's telling me I really don't want to try it either.


	16. Chapter 16

**\--Tails POV--**

My Computer Science teacher's fed up with our class, to put it nicely. I don't think there's been a single week go by where he hasn't changed the seating plan, and it's the first lesson of this term so whatever happens, the change is gonna be drastic. And he wonders why people forget where they're supposed to sit. He gets us to line up around the outside of the room, boys on one side and girls on the other. Somebody ought to get teachers to stop doing that. They keep saying that there will be zero tolerance of the whole "There's only two genders" thing and here they are doing this.

We're eventually assigned our new seats, when the teacher stops complaining about Mighty insisting on standing in the middle because he also thinks categorizing by gender is a stupid idea. I'm put on the end of the row next to Espio, with Mighty on the other side of him. I thought they'd have been glad to have been put together, but the look on Espio's face tells me the opposite. I decide not to question them just yet, but then I realize that Espio's worried expression was probably not caused by Mighty, and instead caused by the fact that he's clearly having issues logging onto the computer, and every time he does, it results in the famous Red Screen of Angry telling him he's gotta stay off the systems for another sixteen days.

"Espio?"

He sighs, then looks at me, annoyed.

"Use my login for now," I offer. "You backed up your coursework last lesson in Student Share, right?"

"Yeah I did. Are you sure that's okay?"

"Just as long as you don't mess anything up in my user space then it's fine."

I give him the bare minimum of my details just to keep him going for the next sixteen days. The rest of the lesson goes fairly smoothly, until Mighty gets into a conversation with Cosmo. Something's definitely not right with Espio and Mighty. I get Espio's attention and quietly ask him what's happening between them.

"Family conflict," he replies in a light whisper, with no additional detail whatsoever. I decide that whatever this is, it doesn't, nor does it need to, involve me. This is clearly something that they need to sort out among themselves.

After I finish my work, early as always, I listen to Cosmo and Mighty's conversation hoping one of them will say something interesting, but it never happens. I've been waiting for Cosmo to say something interesting since the first time I met her. Who knew I could be so easily drawn into someone so boring? But something small is telling me that she's not at all boring and there's a lot more to know, which is why I find myself listening to her and not anyone else, and suddenly not caring about helping Espio and Mighty be friends just so I can listen to Cosmo. She probably thinks I'm a creep. Whatever this feeling is, I'm not sure I like it, but at the same time it's great. It's like I actually have a goal to live for: Get to know Cosmo.

**\--Manic POV--**

" _What_ in Chaos's name is _that_?" I stare at Shadow's Geography book, trying to figure out what the hell he's trying to draw.

"It's a camel," he hisses, and I desperately try to hold back a smirk.

"That just looks like a dodgy bubble-writing 'W' with legs."

"That's pretty much what a camel is."

"No, a camel is a..." I take a deep breath as I get ready to annoy the crap out of Shadow. "...a large, long-necked ungulate mammal of arid country, with long slender legs, broad cushioned feet, and either one or two humps on the back. Not, and I repeat, _not_ a dodgy bubble-writing 'W' with legs."

"Well I'm sorry you have a problem with my drawing skills."

I continue filling in my revision mind-map. We've only been back, what, four days? And we've already got a test coming up. We don't even need to draw, just fill in the blanks, but Shadow's insisting on drawing anyway, and very badly at that. He says it helps him to remember stuff. I'd just get distracted.

I get distracted by a lot of stuff. I'm not like Tails or Knuckles or Scourge who can concentrate on something for hours on end and never get distracted. I'm not even like Espio or Shadow, who probably could concentrate for hours on end but as soon as something distracts them it's curtains. I can't even last five minutes without something irrelevant grabbing my attention. It killed me when Sonic made me sit and do those worksheets for the entire Music lesson. It didn't help that all I had to lean on was the drum which was closest to table height, and it was a small drum, which meant the ridge at the top kept on digging into my arms which made it impossible to concentrate. And now I'm getting distracted by Shadow's camels.

I look to my left when a flash of light catches my attention, and watch Shadow flick through Gooqle on his cellphone under the desk, trying to find a tutorial on drawing chameleons.

"I'm pretty sure chameleons don't live in the desert, Shad."

"I moved on to the rainforest section because you had a problem with me revising the desert content."

He looks around to made sure nobody's watching, then puts his cellphone between the pages in his book and traces the outline of the chameleon. I'm temped to tell him that he's cheating but the chameleon actually looks pretty good. Shadow notices me watching and sends a middle finger my way. Okay, I see how it is. He's just lost every chance of me ever complimenting his tracing skills. I could have hired him to forge signatures or something, or if there's ever an apocalypse and for some reason all technology is abolished and for some reason I'm running some sort of company, he could have been my go-to employee to photocopy stuff for me with carbon paper. But after that little stunt? I wouldn't hire the mopey little git for free.

_I must be bored._

I stare into space for a while, and suddenly have an important realization: we're almost a week into November. I'd better get racking my brains on what to do for December 1st. Usually it takes me about 5 weeks to think of something unique and creative for everyone, with the exception of last year where I just could not be bothered and the end result was a tournament that went absolutely nowhere and almost put our tradition to death. I'll need to think of something big for this year. I only just kept my job as the host and Amy keeps threatening to take it. She wanted Twister. Yeah, as if I'm gonna get the school thot get all up in everyone's crotches. As if she could run something like this. This year has to be big. A combination of all my best tournaments would do it. I just need to think of a way to tie them all together. It sounds easy. But it's really not.


	17. Chapter 17

**\--Espio POV--**

_Finally, it's time to go._

I like Fridays. Not just because they mark the end of the school week, but because I can get out of school altogether. I don't even have to officially sign out anymore; the receptionists know where I'm going. I wait for everyone in my dorm to go out to the hub, like they usually do on Fridays, and lift up the corner of the carpet beneath by bed, revealing wooden floorboards, one of which is movable. In here I keep letters from my family and my collection of ninja weaponry. Nothing big like katanas or anything, just a few boxes of shurikens, a set of kunai and a nunchuck, none of which are allowed in school, but I keep them anyway. They are my only real possessions in this place, other than my clothes and school stuff. I have to hide them, or else somebody (namely Scourge) may try to get me expelled. Vector knows about the collection and so does Knuckles, but they don't know where it is. It's my secret. Sometimes they talk about slitting Scourge's throat in his sleep, which is another reason I hide them. It's only on Fridays when I dare to bring them out of their hiding place.

I could use the weapons at the training center but they're too inconsistent. Some are heavier than others, some aren't as sharp or as tough, and it's first-come-first-serve unless you bring your own. I take the boxes and put them in my coat pockets, and unhook Vector's umbrella from the door. As much as I love my coat, it's just not good in rain. It doesn't have a hood so Vector makes me borrow his umbrella whenever I go out anywhere. Everyone out in the hub has gotten used to me ditching them at the end of the week. It's become a bit of a ritual now, that Vector tells me not to get stabbed too hard and Scourge tells me the opposite. I weave past everyone, jog down the stairs and step out into the rain. I walk for a while, letting the water run down my skin and into my eyes and drip off my horn, and think about how the light refracting through each little raindrop makes the entire world swirl and look like the lampposts are setting everything on fire. I don't like the umbrella. It's purpose is to get rid of the sensation of being rained on, which I happen to love. If I wasn't a cold-blooded reptile, I would sit out in the rain and meditate for hours. Sometimes I do that in the shower with the water running lukewarm, but still colder than it is warm, and imagine I'm outside. Only then am I truly calm. Whoever pays the water bills can't be too happy with me for that but I don't care.

I put up the umbrella before I get too wet. Vector will know I haven't used the umbrella if I don't come back dry, and if I get soaked to the skin now, there's no chance of him not missing it. On the way to the train station I count cars. Every week I give myself a new colour to find. This week I count green cars, but the only light in the city is coming from the street lights, and it's only when I reach 22 green cars and realize that something's not quite right with the figure, I find out that I've been confusing dark green with brown the entire time. I stare at a brown car that looked green when it was further away, and accidentally make eye-contact with the driver for a few seconds, distracting him. He swerves, and splashes through a giant puddle, spraying muddy water at me. I block most of it with the umbrella, then look back up when I hear a smash behind me.

The car had driven straight into a traffic light.

I watch as a chain reaction unfolds around me. The traffic light falls onto some suspended electricity cables. They snap, resulting in an immediate power-outage across the street and possibly further, then the cables fall and land on the car and the water allows for the current to keep flowing, turning the power back on for less than a second, then setting the car alight in a ball of flames. And I run. I use the darkness, and I run as fast as I can away from the destruction because none of this is my fault. It's the driver's fault for getting distracted, right? He should have been looking at the road. Not at me.

But he _was_ looking at me. Why? Is it because I looked at him? I was one of so many! I continue running until I get to a place where there is power again and walk to the station with my head held low, pull my coat up over my mouth and hold the umbrella lower than before. I try to shake the feeling of being watched. I know I'm not.

The train ride is easier. When I get to the train it's the awkward time of day, just after rush-hour where everyone's already gone home and nobody's going back out yet so the train is quiet. It only takes half an hour to get to Robotropolis and this time I decide to count turns instead. Counting turns takes my mind off the crash. The train makes a total of 23 changes of direction on the trip, which is actually a lot more that I ever thought there was.

I make it to the training center ten minutes earlier than usual, which gives me a chance to warm up and dry off a little before we begin. On the way to the main room I hear distant voices coming from the meeting room next door. One is the voice of my Sensei. The other, a female voice, is one I do not recognize. The leaders of the Shinobi clans use this center as their main meeting point. We get people from all over Mobius coming here to discuss all the Shinobi stuff. I rarely get to listen so I take a risk and stand just outside the door.

I learnt the basics of Japanese as part of the training course. It's not necessary for success but it was hardly optional. I listen to the fluency of the ninjas inside the meeting room and try to keep up with what they are saying, growing ever more concerned about what they are discussing, and find myself getting hung up on two words. Death match. I listen intently to the rest, trying to decipher the parts of the language I do not know and pick out the parts that I do.

_"You are aware of the graduation ritual here, yes?"_

_"Of course, but Espio... he is young..."_

_"So is Bean. And every other child who has battled for their graduation. We must ask if Espio is willing to compete."_

_"But Sensei, he is not even fifteen yet!"_

_"Mr. Vaso has had longer to prepare than all of the young ninjas here combined. I watch him train regularly. He is ready, and what he says goes."_

_"Is he ready, though? Espio... he is different from the rest-"_

_"Just because he is here on special terms does not mean he is incapable! Do you believe that just because he is what you consider to be 'different', he is incapable of putting up a good fight?"_

_"I-"_

_"Silence!"_

_"..."_

_"You wrote the terms and conditions. You should know that this is Espio's choice. Not yours."_

_"...I'm scared for him, Sensei."_

_"He will be fine."_

I stop listening. I know my Japanese isn't exceptional, but it's not terrible either. I know enough to be certain that it is my turn. It's me against Bean this year. I've watched previous graduation battles. The point of it is for a ninja to prove their skill, and if sufficient skill is shown then they are allowed to graduate. The course usually takes three years to complete, but I have been here for six and a half. I should have graduated twice by now. The people here didn't allow me to train because I wanted to become a ninja, but for another reason entirely that I would rather not think about because I already think too much. And I think too deeply. What a dangerous combination.

My Sensei leaves the meeting room and comes face-to-face with myself, almost walking straight into me. He stands there for a second, startled, then chuckles to himself.

_"I must say, Mr. Vaso, you have really gotten the hang of espionage. Tell me, how long have you been stood here?"_

I have to look down at my watch to work out the time, but something in my brain isn't functioning right and I have to count the little dashes on the watch to work out what twenty-eight minus nineteen is.

"...Nine minutes."

"And you understood?"

"I got the general idea."

My Sensei leans on the door frame and stares at his bare feet for a while. I try to imagine what he might be thinking. Maybe that this is not the way he wanted to break it to me? Or that me hearing it all now is going to make asking me a lot easier? I decide break the silence, because the longer it lasts, the more hungry for an explanation I become.

"The person you were talking to... why is she scared? Do I know her?"

"She is scared that this will break you, Mr. Vaso. And you don't know her. She is one of the organizers of this year's graduation event, and I had to tell her about you before she would allow the death match to take place," he replies shakily, almost like he's trying to defend himself of something. And failing. This would have been his idea, which to be honest I don't mind, I trust his judgement, but the thought that someone I've never met is... scared for me... is yet another thought that I'm not sure I like.

"...Do the others know?"

This time, his answer is firm.

"No. The confidentiality promise will be maintained."

A few seconds later, all of the other ninja trainees begin to migrate towards the main room, and we follow. My Sensei stops me at the door and whispers to me in Japanese.

_"At least think about it. Come and talk to me when you have made your decision, but ensure it will be by next Friday, Mr. Vaso, otherwise I will have to assume you say no. If you wish to speak with me before then, come anyway. I am always here for you. I am always here."_

_"Thank you, Sensei."_

We part ways. We all listen to him for a while, and then get onto the actual training. Both my Sensei and I know that I'm not in the right state of mind to be doing the task that he has set for everyone else, so I head outside and spend the next fifty minutes throwing stars and knives at a wooden box, trying to make a picture with the blades. I settle on a bee. It's been a while since I've been back home to see Charmy. I spent the October break at school. I regret that now because I know he will be missing me and I am missing him. But my hands are shaking and my aim is skewed as a result and the bee ends up looking more like a dragonfly. In a bout of frustration, I rip the blades from the wood, run back and throw them all at once with all the force I can manage, and I'm mildly surprised when the pattern ends up looking more like a bee than my original attempt. Knuckles would say something along the lines of, "It looks more like a bee than a bee does."

I smile to myself on my return to the school, temporarily forgetting everything that had happened in the last few hours, whilst formulating a plan for what I'm going to do when I get back. I'm going to get in the shower and I'm going to let the water run lukewarm, but still colder than it is warm, and imagine I'm outside. And I'll have the skylight open to let in some actual rain, so I can smell it and taste it and let it sting my eyes. That's just one of the many perks of living on the top floor. I can let the rain come in whenever I want to. And I'll just sit there. And I'll stay in that shower until either somebody tells me to get out, or until they all forget I exist. Scourge calls it a waste of water, and I'd agree with him if it was me or my family who were paying for it. I wouldn't dream of doing anything like this if I owned the building I was doing it in, but if nobody can trace the insanely high levels of water usage back to me, then I'm safe to do whatever I wish.


	18. Chapter 18

**\--Knuckles POV--**

I've got twelve HB pencils lined up on the desk. Seven of them won't sharpen. Four of them aren't even made of wood and the last one is an illusion eraser in the shape of a pencil. This is what happens when you buy your school stuff at the OchoRing Joke Shop. Eight Rings for every individual item in stock. A pack of twelve crappy pencils, half of which aren't actually pencils? Eight Rings, please. It seemed like a good deal but I know now that the actual worth is about forty packs of pencils with the payment of your wasted time instead of one pack for eight goddamn Rings. What a waste.

Sonic watches me inspect each individual pencil, probably wondering what the hell is wrong with me and why I've suddenly turned to criticizing art supplies as a hobby. That's something Amy would do. Legend has it that when someone offers her a pencil in her art lesson, she'll only accept it if it's Yurashian. If not, you lose any respect she had for you, which, honestly, I don't see as a bad thing.

"Knux... what are you doing?" Sonic asks.

"I'm trying to figure out why these crap bags cost me eight Rings," I reply.

"Huh. Lemme see."

Sonic lunges for a pencil and tries to write with it, only for the lead to crumble as it touches the paper and fall out of the pencil in a pile of black dust. He stares at the dust pile in astonishment, mouth half open, and carefully places the pencil back on the table.

"You need some actual pencils..." he says, slowly leaning back into his chair.

"Well no shit, Sherlock. It's not like I can get a refund either because they're supposed to be like that. I thought I'd at least be able to write with them though-"

"Waitaminute waitaminute waitaminute... They're _supposed_ to be like that?"

I sigh before sharing my mistake with him. "OchoRing Joke Shop."

"OchoRing?" he shouts, loud enough to turn a few heads. "What are you, crazy?"

"Seems like it," I admit, shrugging my shoulders and using the paper to gather up all the dust that Sonic just created, then I press the leads out from the rest of the pencils until the dust looks like a long, rainbow cocaine line. I pick up the paper and roll it into a funnel shape and make my way past the others to the trash can in the corner of the hub, but fail to get there because of a sudden power outage. I trip up over someone's foot and smack the side of my head on a desk corner on the way down.

**\--Vector POV--**

Everyone's left in complete darkness. Some of the girls start screamin'. Some of the guys start whisperin'. I just sit and wonder what the hell happened. The school has its own power supply that it only shares with one other street in the city, Omega said so last year, and it's supposed to be the most reliable supply in the country. There's like... hospitals and big office blocks for all the official companies and stuff. This can't be any ordinary power cut.

"Oh my god, Knuckles is down!"

"What?"

"Chaos, he's bleeding!"

I squint in the direction of the commotion and I can barely make out five or six figures crowded around a red mound on the floor that I can only assume to be Knuckles.

"What if he like... dies or something? The last thing he'll have listened to is me calling him crazy!"

"Quit panicking Sonic, this guy might as well be made of pure obsidian. He'll be fine."

"But the table might be made of diamonds! You don't know that!"

The power comes back on after two or three seconds, and I get a brief view of Knuckles on the floor with blood poolin' around his head, but I don't have time to think much about it before the lights get increasin'ly brighter until it's impossible to keep your eyes open, and then all of the lights break, and the power goes out a second time along with bits of glass flying everywhere from the lights above the open area near the stairs. The worried voices of the other students intensify, and I decide to intervene before anybody else gets hurt.

"RIGHT, LISTEN UP! NOBODY MOVE!"

I succeed in gettin' everyone's attention, and they all go silent as their silhouettes turn my way. I take a deep breath and continue.

"Try not teh panic. I'm gonna go get someone from Medical teh come over 'ere for Knuckles. In the meantime, don't move, an' especially don't do anything with Knuckles."

"Try not to panic? _Try not to panic_? He's bleeding!" Sonic argues.

"How bad?"

"Bad enough for Shadow to panic too!" he exclaims. Everyone turns to look at Shadow, who desperately tries to cover up the very obvious fact that he's also worried about Knuckles. "Try not to fricking panic, blood loss is an actual thing, you know!"

"Well in that case, I'll run," I announce, and no sooner than I finish I leg it down three flights if stairs to the Medical room.

**\--Knuckles POV--**

All of the energy in my body is drained just by trying to open my eyes, and when I do I find out I needn't have bothered. The world is spinning and everything's dark.

_Wait... dark?_

I force myself to sit up and lean on my elbows, suddenly panicking that I've gone blind, and then I remember the power cut that got me down here in the first place. I was so busy panicking about my eyesight that I didn't notice the pain in the left side of my forehead. As soon as I think about it, it begins to throb even more. I bring my hand to my head but I'm caught halfway by someone else's.

"Don't touch it. You'll just make it worse. Vector's gone to get Medical."

"But he's bleeding! At least give him something to stop the flow, Faker!"

"Shad, are you squeamish?"

"What? No! Of course not! I'm just... concerned about Knuckles. Yeah, concerned."

"Riiight."

Sonic helps me prop myself up on a table leg and we wait for Medical to arrive. The dizziness eventually subsides, and so does the headache to some extent. After a while it just feels like I've been punched in the face, which happens almost every week anyway. When Medical do show up, I tell them about how I fell and they check out my head and assure everyone that it's just a bad cut and a good clean and a band-aid will fix it, but I think she's more trying to calm down Sonic and Shadow than me. I'm told that if I have any dizziness or nausea at all in the next week, I've got to come straight to Medical, and that I've got to take it easy for the next few days, which I guess is a fair point but I don't think I will go to Medical. It's not like brain damage could make me any dumber than I already am. And they'll probably just give me a wet paper towel anyway. That's all they can do, really. What the nurse is doing to my head right now might be the most medically-strenuous activity she's ever partaken in.

Actually, I'll take that back, what I thought earlier. I might be dumb but my vocabulary's not too shabby, if I do say so myself. I think that's the first time I've ever acknowledged that the words 'strenuous' and 'partaken' even exist.

I offer to help with cleaning up the blood spillage, but the nurse just sends me to my dorm with a pass to skip any lessons for the next three days. I decide to take my time getting to my bed, as I don't think I'll be feeling a hundred percent for quite a while, but as I get to the ladder, something under Espio's bed catches my eye. I take a quick look underneath and find the carpet lifted up slightly. I think nothing of it and put it down to old carpets. Or maybe dodgy carpet grippers. Dodgy carpet grippers are the worst. Back at home when I'm walking down the stairs barefoot the grippers always come up through the carpet and stab me in the feet. I kept nagging Raster to nail them down over Halloween break but he never did. He'd always give the excuse that it's not his house, so I'd remind him that dad literally hired him and Lacer to look after the house and everyone in it after mom walked out whilst he's up on Angel Island, but Raster still won't do it because apparently hardware is Lacer's job. But I thought Lacer's job was working for him in the Chaotix and being Espio's dad. Apparently not.

Espio's gonna have quite a shock when he gets back here, I bet. This place looks like a ghost town when the floodlights are off. I pull out my cellphone and flick through the GHZNews website and find absolutely nothing related to a power outage anywhere. After a while, the screen brightness begins to heighten my headache even when I turn it down to minimum, so I turn off my phone and stare out of the window instead, or at least, what I can see of it. Vector and Scourge have a much better view of the window from their beds. If I want to see anything out of the window I have to lean as far left as I can whilst trying not to tip the bunk. It's a betting game with gravity that I'm not prepared to play, so instead I just stare at the little slit of window that I can see, which is pointless because it's dark outside too.


	19. Chapter 19

**\--Espio POV--**

The realization of what I've caused only hits when I return to the school. The only source of light is coming from the moon. As I make my way to the dorm block, I shake off the umbrella and dodge the various puddles left over from the rain storm. Inside the block it's so dark that I almost miss the 'No Entry' tape pulled around the ceiling supports near the open part. I stop suddenly, and have to so some very advanced back-flexing to avoid falling into the tape. I take a moment to look past it, and see shards of glass all over the floor. I can't help getting a little creeped out by the sight. The stairs aren't blocked off, but I still have to avoid the odd shattered light bulb on the way up to the dorms. The ones I don't avoid crunch loudly under my shoes, and when I reach the top I have to stop for a minute and pull the glass out of the soles.

I look up again and see even more 'No Entry' tape surrounding some of the tables in the hub. Still freaking out slightly, I head over to the tape and have a look at what's in there. I expect more glass, but I'm proved to be very wrong when I find bloodstains all over the orange and gray carpet.

_Did the power cut cause all of this?_

Various scenarios flood my worried mind. Is this a murder scene? Did someone get hurt in the dark? Could that possibly not be blood and be, I don't know, hot sauce? That would be some strange-looking hot sauce if it was. Maybe it was spicy barbecue. Oh, what am I thinking? Of course it was blood.

I take note of the cold. Even my jacket isn't doing me any favors right now. With no power comes no heating system, and my god it's cold up here. Shivering, I turn the handle to 4D and I'm scared out of my skin when Vector jumps off his bed and starts yelling random stuff at me.

"Oh, sweet Jesus, Vector! Don't scare me like that!" I lean on the door and try to regulate my breathing again.

"Sorry man, I fergot. Yer must 'ave walked in on what be lookin' like a crime scene, huh?" He takes my coat and the umbrella and hangs them up whilst I compose myself.

"You bet I did. There's blood and glass everywhere."

"Ah yeah... well yer can be thankin' Knux for the blood 'n' stuff, right Knucklehead?" Vector looks up at Knuckles's bed, and is faced with an Echidna who's fast asleep. "Knucklehead?"

"What happened to his head?" I ask, looking at the very nasty-looking cut on Knuckles's forehead.

"He fell in the dark 'n' smashed it up a lil' bit. He's fine. Woke up before I even got ta Medical, accordin' to Sonic."

I wait until Vector isn't looking and grab my ninja weapons from my coat and kick them under my bed. I'll put them away properly later. As I'm doing it, I realize that a certain green hedgehog isn't around.

"Hey, Vec, where's Scourge?"

"In the bathroom, hoggin' shower. See, now ya know 'ow we feel when you're hoggin' shower all friggin' night."

"Only after you're all done with it," I argue, flopping onto my bed to try and get some warmth back into me.

"Untrue, sometimes people need ta use the bathroom from time teh time."

"There's frosted glass for a reason, Vector. You and Knuckles don't have a problem with public urinals so I don't see why you'd have a problem with this."

"Then what about Scourge?"

"Oh he's absolutely fine with pissing with people around. He does that shit on my face in a morning. Fucking stinks. I swear that guy's dehydrated."

Vector begins snickering behind me, so I lose it with him.

"Vector, do you wanna swap beds? You wanna try this, huh? I don't find it fucking funny!"

"Yeah only because yer the one bein' pissed on! Oh god, I could make so much fun outta this. Check this out, Es: I could - I could like make an announcemen' on somethin', I- I need ta like practice mah lines, hold up," he says, clearing his throat. "Scourge the Hedgehog is a bitch-ass motherfucka', he pissed on mah fuckin' best mate. That's right, he took his hedgehog fuckin' quilly dick out and he pissed on mah fuckin' best mate, and he said his dick was "THIS BIG", and I said "That's disgusting!" So I'm makin' a callout post on mah Twitter dot com. Scourge the Hedgehog, you got a small dick! It's the size of this... this walnut, except WAY smaller-"

"Alright, that's enough, Vector," I shout, trying to combat the laughter that's forcing its way out of me. "You can make the announcement when he's not literally behind a wall."

"I'm gonna make it a fuckin' callout post on mah Twitter dot com, that's what I'm gonna do."

"Haha, yeah, you do that. Toss me that walnut, I'm hungry."

Vector throws me the walnut, then follows it up with the entire bag. I forgot to buy dinner on the way home. I was too busy thinking about rain and everything else that happened. As I'm devouring the walnuts I begin to list all the things that have gone wrong this week. Mighty leaving, Amy being bad at everything, Smurf porn, Eggman _still_ on Physics, getting kicked off the internet, Knuckles getting his head cracked open on a desk, having to decide what the hell I'm gonna do about Bean...

_Alright Es, if you want to get anywhere with this idiot brain of yours, you're gonna have to do this one at a time._

I start with Knuckles. I think about how he got his head smashed, and then remember wanting that to happen to Eggman on Tuesday. Then I lose the ability to think when I realize what could have happened here. I chew on another walnut and stare blankly at the underside of Knuckles's mattress until my mind starts working again.

I know my thoughts are stupid. I hate them. Bad things happen when I think too much, that has to be it. I thought for hours, no, not thought, fantasized, about some shit happening to Eggman so he would be forced to bring Omochao back onto the Science department. And then, not even a week later, I'm faced with all of my fantasies happening to someone I care about. It's like that book we had to read a while ago in English, about that monkey genie thing who misheard the wishes, and someone asked for a Rolls Royce and they got Rolls of Rice from the local Bucket O' Sushi.

Does that explain Bean? Not really. I mean, they wouldn't have even considered letting me into the death match if he and my dad didn't consent to it first. I'm not sure there's a way I could have affected that. So if this is a genuine thing that's going to happen then I need to decide what I'm going to do. Part of me wants to do this alone, but I know my family will have heard about this and they'll want to hear from me and I want to hear from them. I hate to admit it but I need guidance. I'd probably be better asking my Sensei but I've done enough travelling for one night.

I usually limit my contact with the people back at home to letters. It's nicer. It feels more... what's the word... personal. It's a place where we can just pour our hearts out onto a piece of paper and keep forever, because letters don't automatically delete themselves like texts do. Father suggested emails but it's just not the same. The thing is, if I need to decide by next Friday, I'm going to have to have a full conversation with my family about it. That's the only bad thing about letters. They cost money and they're slow.

The sound of Scourge shutting off the shower snaps me back into reality. The showers are quiet here. You only notice they've been on once they've turned off. I go over to the computer before anyone else can take it, and go to log on when I remember I've been banned. So I use Tails's details and hope nobody notices the fact that Tails appears to know my email password. I type for a while, read over what I wrote, delete it all, and repeat three more times, trying to get something that doesn't make it sound like I'm asking whether I should kill myself or not.

"What the fuck are you even trying to write?" says Scourge's voice, startling me once again.

"Can somebody please just... not scare me out of my skin, please? Also go away. This doesn't involve you."

"Okie dokie, fruitcake."

I glare at him as he walks away. He's been calling me a fruitcake since year eight. I wouldn't mind so much if fruit cake was actually a nice cake, because then I could be happy that I'm being called by something I like. I look back at the monitor and decide that this is literally my dad I'm emailing. It's not a fucking resume. I finish the email, do a spellcheck, and hit send. All I've got to do now is wait and see why he thinks it's a good idea to let me decide whether or not I want to fight to the death, or not do that and get called a coward by that silly little bird. He says he's a woodpecker. He looks like a duck. He calls himself Bean the Dynamite. If he was actually a stick of dynamite I think I'd be more impressed by the fact he's still alive than whether he's a duck or not. He used to annoy me by calling me a skinny purple rhino so I have every right to call him a duck. Disliking him only makes me want to fight him even more, and sooner, but I can't let him see my true potential until the actual match. That is, if father doesn't talk me out of it at the last minute.


	20. Chapter 20

**\--Shadow POV--**

My entire weekend was spent sat on my ass at the computer playing CraftMine because I had literally nothing else to do. I did the math homework, and I don't have any exams coming up that I could've revised for other than Geography, and I was waiting for Manic to clear off before I did that. I tried to do some revision on Saturday night in the library but then he showed up and started going through all the board games in the cupboard for Games Club. He only joined Games Club to make Annual Game Night. On the first of December every year a load of people go down to the library without the teachers knowing and have some sort of tournament. I've never taken part. I was thinking about going in Year 8 until Sonic mentioned doing a Truth or Dare with the Monopoly money integrated into it somehow, and then I changed my mind. I went last year, and it was supposed to be just plain Monopoly, but nobody knew how to play it so it had to end early at, like, ten. Normally these tournaments go on until about two in the morning. I don't know how Manic keeps them undercover for so long. Or maybe the teachers do know, and they're just glad that we're spending time together without our noses pressed up against a screen.

As Espio, Knuckles and I walk into Physics, I get the feeling that something is going to be slightly different today, because Ivo's desk is clear. I pull the class's book box from the shelf and set it down on a table.

"Do you know if Dr. Robotnik's gonna be here today?" Espio asks. He must have noticed the desk too.

I shrug my shoulders as I empty the box. "I haven't seen him. He's probably late again. I didn't go home over the weekend so I dunno how he is or anything." I dump half of the books into Espio's arms so he can help me hand them out to everyone. Just as we finish and sit down at our desks, a familiar face shoes up through the door. I poke Tails to get him to see who's here.

"Wha- Oh yeah we had Omochao for form too. I should have said something. I'm pretty tired," says Tails. trying to hold back a yawn and failing.

"I can tell. How much sleep did you get?" I ask. He holds up one finger, then yawns again.

"Well, I just always want to sleep, you know. I'm tired all the time. I hate it. 'Cause then when I try to go to sleep, I – I can't."

"I know, and you angst so much about it."

"Oh, I just wanna sleep, Shadow. I'm so tired of taking melatonin. It makes me tired all the time."

"I fuckin' feel you there, buddy. Insomnia, am I right?"

I don't get an answer because Omochao begins the lesson. He tells us that Ivo suddenly got ill and had to skip, so this is a last-minute, temporary cover. I don't see what could be so urgent. I don't remember Ivo ever being ill in the past, but there's no way I'm complaining. I've been waiting for this moment since September. I look around and see most of the class looking a little depressed by the fact that they actually have to do some work now, but Tails and Knuckles look just as over the moon as I feel. Then I look at Espio. He tries to deny it, but with him being a chameleon, it makes it very easy to read his emotions. No matter how hard he tries to battle the natural colour-changing reflex arc, he still goes a little paler than usual. I can't not ask about it.

"Are you... alright, Espio?"

He sighs, knowing there's no point in lying because he knows I can see straight through him, and shakes his head. "I'll tell you later. At break. Though I'm not sure you'll care much. I never had you down as the type of guy who believes in coincidences being anything more than coincidences."

"What?" I laugh. I don't think Espio's ever been more wrong. I nudge him with my elbow and continue, "I'll have you know that you're talking to the guy who has very in-depth conversations with Cream about the Simulation Theory on the group chat and annoys the hell out of everyone because of it."

"Really?"

"Yep. Come find me when you wanna talk. I'm all ears."

I'm not really used to being the listener, that's Rouge's job, but for god's sake, this is _Espio_. We're not exactly best friends, so if he's prepared to talk to me, whether I asked or not, I can't say no. I'm probably the least inviting person to talk to out of everyone here, so whatever this is, it's gotta be bothering him.

The Physics lesson turns out to be one of the best I've ever had. Omochao is _so_ much better at this than Ivo. At the end of the lesson, I look back on the last term and realize that I've probably learnt more in this one lesson than I did in that entire time. I catch Espio and Tails before they leave.

"Hey, you two," I whisper, as loudly as a whisper can go. They turn back and look at me. "...You hate Ivo, right?"

"Of course we do-"

"Well get back over here. I've got an idea."

They walk behind me as I go over to Omochao, who's packing up his stuff to go back to English.

"Um... Omochao, can we talk to you for a sec?"

"Of course, Shadow. What's up?"

I take a deep breath, and pray that the answer to my question will be a yes. "Is there any way you can convince Iv- um... Dr. Robotnik to... let you come back on the Science department?"

"Is his teaching an issue?"

Tails is the first to play along. Well, not play along exactly, because everything he says is completely true. "This class is crazy without you, Omochao! Dr. Robotnik's 10 minutes late to every other lesson, so that's like... four hours of learning time lost! We can't concentrate, Dr. Robotnik's teaching makes zero sense-"

"And I have to keep teaching Knuckles all the stuff that he'd understand right off the bat if you were here!"

"Yeah Espio, that too, and... Oh Omochao, we need you! We need you back here because we don't stand a chance of getting a good grade in this lesson with how things are going right now!"

There's a long silence before Omochao answers. "I... I'm sorry to disappoint but... I've already discussed this many times with Dr. Robotnik and I'm afraid what he says goes. He is my boss, after all. But if you need help with anything, I'm always on the other end of an email, and I'm still doing intervention, if you'd like to come to that. We could go through your lessons again there."

Espio's and Tails's disappointment is evident.

"Well, thanks for, um... caring, I guess," I say, because I can't think of anything else. "You're a great teacher, Omochao."

"Thanks, Shadow. I guess I could use you three's arguments to try to talk him round. Now go to your next lesson, before you're late."


	21. Chapter 21

**\--Shadow POV--**

My worries for Espio intensify as the morning goes on. Since recovering from my own particularly bad state in Year 9, I've become increasingly concerned about others and what they might be going through. There's something that I never really understood about the whole talking about your problems thing. I remember thinking that anyone who said talking would be a good idea was lying to me, to try and nosy into my life like the nosy fuckers in Physics. That they wouldn't understand and it's useless because I didn't want help anyway. Turns out I didn't even need the help they were offering. Just a pair of ears to talk to, preferably belonging to someone who isn't going to be a nosy fucker and tell everyone what they found out about me. If I can be that pair of ears for someone, even if I can't help them directly, then I'm doing something right, at least.

I leave the Communication block and wait outside for Espio to come out of his Computer Science class. I never did find out why they put Geography in Communication. It used to be in Performance before they moved it and it didn't really belong there either. There's no room for it in Discovery and there's not exactly anything Creative about Geography. Or History, actually. I like to think of those subjects as the misfits in this school. But if they're misfits then why did so many people take them? Surely then, the other subjects would be misfits because they fit in.

"Shadow?"

I turn in the direction of the voice, snapping out of my zoned-out state and smile at Espio. We walk around for a few minutes in silence, and I let him think about what he wants to say. He wanted this conversation, and it's about him, so he should start it.

"Shadow, I- I'm afraid you might think I'm crazy if I tell you about earlier," he admits.

"Aren't we all a little crazy, from time to time?"

"Well yes, but... I'm scared, Shadow. Of myself. My mind. I... I don't know. I just-" He cuts himself off, and takes a deep breath before continuing, "I don't know what's wrong with me. Bad things keep happening and... No, I'll stop. This is gonna get so weird-"

"Continue," I say, firmly.

"...What?"

"Trust me. Continue. It'll help."

He's quiet for a while, before starting again. "You know those times when you can't, like, have any control over your thoughts? Like no matter how hard you try to stop thinking about stuff, they just won't go away?"

I think about this for a while. This could mean one of two things. "Do you mean actual thoughts, or are they like voices?"

"No, definitely just thoughts. Do you... remember how I told you about wanting Eggman to get hurt when he tripped last Tuesday so Omochao could come back?"

It's at that point where I finally realize where he's going with this, but I allow him to continue just to be sure. "Yes, I remember."

"I was thinking about the possibility of that happening all day. Sort of like... in a fantasy-type way that I couldn't really control, but I didn't mind because I hate the guy, you know, everyone does, but then I go and cause a power cut and Knuckles gets his head smashed in and-"

"You did _what_?" I ask, maybe a little too loudly.

"Shit..."

"Espio, how did you cause the power cut?"

"I... Well I'm not sure if it was me who actually caused it or not... Well it had to be me, but..." He trails off, then the next part comes faster than I've ever heard him talk before. "I made eye contact with someone driving a car for a few seconds on the way to Ninjutsu and they ended up swerving into a traffic light and breaking all the power on Main Street."

I stay quiet. Not because I want him to keep talking, but because I was _not_ expecting _that_.

"This is the point I'm trying to make, Shadow. Whenever I think too hard about stuff, bad things happen, people get hurt, my original fantasy ends up coming true in all the worst ways possible and it all comes back to me. It's been happening since I was a kid. I... I can't trust my mind anymore. It fucks up everyone's lives."

I want to tell him that it's gonna be alright, that everything's going to be okay, but I don't know if that's a smart thing to do. I decide to be honest instead. "I, um... I'm not sure there's really anything I can do to help you with that."

"I know, it's fine. I wouldn't want you to anyway. Not that I have anything against you, but... Yeah, there isn't a lot you can do. Look, I just remembered, I kinda need to run and check my email. I'm expecting something rather important, so... thank you."

"Don't mention it."

I watch Espio dash over to the dorms. The Social block is literally about ten meters away. He could've just gone to the library in there. I don't know. Maybe he doesn't want anyone around. I start walking around the campus with no real destination in mind, just waiting for the time to pass and try to eavesdrop on some of the conversations happening around me, but nothing sparks any interest. I carry on walking until I feel a light tap on my shoulder.

"Hey, Shadow."

_Rouge._

"You still haven't told me why you walked me to class last week."

"I know you're never gonna let me live it down."

"I'm sure of it. Now tell it to me in excruciating detail, Shad man."

I do exactly as Rouge says, and by the end of my explanation, she's in laughing fits.

" _That's_ why? Chaos, dude, I was getting all sorts of worried when you wouldn't tell me, haha! I was wasting all my precious braincells thinking heck knows what-"

"What braincells? I didn't think you had any."

"Shadow!"

This time, it's my turn to laugh. This is why Rouge and I are best friends. We can make each other laugh with minimal effort, be horrible to each other and still be friends afterwards. She makes me forget about things. Living in the moment and all that. It's fun. She's fun to be around. And I know she knows that, even though I rarely tell her.

Sonic used to say that she really "brings me out of my shell". That he liked seeing us together because he knew we make each other happy. And I think he's probably the only person who accepts the fact that we're definitely not dating. I've got to give him respect for that, at least. He might be annoying and forgetful and he thinks he's cooler than me and he's too competitive for his own good, but Sonic's not half bad. I think I could even go as far as calling him a friend, but it's a stretch. At the moment it's a stretch. A few years ago, maybe less of a stretch and more of a situation that I had no choice in. I guess I owe him one for everything he did but I've never really had a chance to make it up to him since then.

Then I have a horrifying thought. If I were Mighty, then what Sonic used to say would mean that he would have been hinting that Rouge gets me naked, then he _would_ be shipping us. Man, am I glad I'm not Mighty.


	22. Chapter 22

_From: lacervasocda@chaosmail.com_

_RE: I need your opinion._

_Message:_

_I was sent a letter regarding the deathmatch three months ago. Son, if I didn't want you to graduate, I would have taken you out of Ninjutsu years ago. I know you weren't fond of the idea of being a Ninja originally, but over the years I've watched you grow and learn and I know that you can do this. But it is your decision, after all. Theoretically, you should be at a major advantage against this Bean character. You've had twice as long to train, you have all the natural abilities of a chameleon whereas all he can do extra is fly around and peck you a few times. From what you've told me, I think you've got a pretty strong chance of winning this fight. Of course I wouldn't want you to kill anyone, but seeing as this is a completely legal exception and you seem insistent on graduating, I can't say it's a bad idea. If you were to lose, I would be very shocked that someone of your level of skill is even capable of defeat._

_As for your concerns about the business rep, I don't see how this could affect anything if you and the boys keep the whole thing under wraps. But even if this does get out, I'm not sure I'd care much anyway. Locke pays me enough to look after this house so if the business goes under we'll still be able to get by, and it's not like anyone's gonna miss us. Anyway, you needn't worry about this sort of thing. Running the Chaotix is Raster's job._

_I suggest that you go and see your Sensei again. He'll be able to give better advice than I ever could, seeing as he's part of the Shinobi and I'm not. Or at least, not anymore. I did try contacting your mother but I haven't had anything back, so I don't think she'll be any help, unless she gets back to me last minute. I don't know what could be keeping her so busy that she can't even help her own son decide his fate. I just want you to know that whatever happens, whatever you decide to do, I'll be rooting for you._

* * *

**\--Espio POV--**

My mother trained to be a ninja when she was young. It's a bit of a tradition down her end of the family. My father tried, gave up with the idea of being a full-blown ninja and worked on the weaponry side of things instead, so he never did get the opportunity to graduate.

I haven't seen Mother for over four years now. She moved to the Dragon Kingdom when I was nine and took the Yagyu Clan as her own, and since then she's only visited on special occasions. I know she's busy. It wouldn't surprise me if she didn't get back in touch. That being said, I know she cares about me, because she finds time to write to me in between whatever she's doing over in Yurashia. When she first moved, the letters came about once a month. Now, I'd say about once every three. But I don't mind. It's not like I'm constantly waiting for a reply, like Father is, because I don't know her address. That is, if she even has one.

I read the email again, before pinning it at the top of my inbox in case I want to come back to it before Friday. If I can find some spare rings then I'll go and see my Sensei again tonight. That might mean sacrificing dinner on Friday, but I'll be fine. I've gone much longer without food.

I find myself having to sprint to period 3 after spending too long in the dorm. I get there just in time to get yelled at for lateness, but not late enough for a detention. I honestly don't care right now. I just want today to be over so I can get out of here and talk everything through with my Sensei. And today, the world is not against me, because the lessons fly by. My mood is the best it's been in a while, until I end up in the cafeteria and remember the situation I'm in now.

Vector's started doing music intervention on Wednesdays. Usually when he's not around I've got Mighty and Ray to stop me from looking like a complete loner, but I can't go and sit with Ray without getting involved with Mighty, which is the last thing I want to do, not because I don't like Mighty, because I do, as a friend, but because if anyone back home finds out I've been around Mighty then it's an automatic death sentence for me. And Vector too, for that matter. I grab a chicken wrap and head over to the 'last resort' table.

"I still can't believe you took Health Class as an exam subject, Knux," Sonic says, rolling his eyes at Knuckles's homework.

"Dude. It's literally sex-ed class with the only difference being that it happens more often. I couldn't pass up that opportunity, it's great! Except for maybe this. This is terrible. I've gotta, like... make a poster about me. Cut my life into pieces."

 _This_ is my last resort?

"Um... Knuckles?" I say, making myself known. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

He turns round, and looks at me suspiciously, then answers, "Yeah, why not."

I take the empty seat next to Knuckles and start slowly devouring my wrap. These wraps are pretty damn good, as far as school food goes. The quality of the food ranges from one measly slice of burnt pizza served with a sheet of grease proof paper that sticks so bad to the pizza base that you end up eating that too, to whatever this magical substance is. My only complaint is that the chicken juices get everywhere. I have to lean over the table and position the wrap over the wrap case so the table isn't in the firing line of the drips. Usually what happens, is when I think I've managed to contain the sauce, I then put my arm on the table and find out that it's been running down the inside of my blazer sleeve the entire time.

I try to listen in to the conversation but I keep on losing track. It's full of what I assume to be inside jokes, as they mean absolutely nothing to me but do mean something to everyone else here, except for maybe Silver. So instead I watch Knuckles rip apart random bits of paper and stick them down on some more paper for a while.

"C'mon... darn friggin' paper... just stick the fuck down..." He smacks the table to stick down the paper, and it appears to work, but not without the expense of the scissors. They were propped up against the glue stick and on the way down, Knuckles caught them with his, well, knuckles, and sent the scissors flying into the ceiling.

"What the fuck..." says Shadow, half laughing. I actually forgot he was here, he's been that quiet. "...How does that even happen?"

Everyone else sat on the table looks up at the ceiling, and stare at the gravity-defying scissors stuck up in there. I know this school was built cheaply, but I didn't think they made the ceilings out of polystyrene.

"Espio..."

I turn in the direction of the voice. "Yes, Knuckles?"

"You can climb ceilings, right?"

I stare blankly at him. No, no and no again. I am not climbing the damn ceilings just to get a pair of scissors.

"Yeah, Espio, we did you a favor be letting you sit here, now you do us a favour by getting those scissors before someone sees them," Sonic argues.

"I'd be more concerned about people seeing me up there than the scissors."

"Well go invisible then!"

"For that to be successful, I'd have to use all of my concentration and then I'd probably fall off the damn ceiling anyway."

"Ah..."

I watch Sonic think of a solution to this problem.

"How about... you do it anyway and we all vouch for you when you get yelled at?"

His use of "when" makes me want to do this even less. " _When_ I get yelled at?"

"Well it's bound to happen, isn't it," says Knuckles. "Go on. We'll make sure you don't get into trouble."

I look at Knuckles and Sonic and accept defeat. There is no way I'm getting out of this. I take off my gloves and start scaling the nearest wall and creep across the ceiling to the scissors. I treat the ceiling with extreme caution, as the panels are soft and could rip off at the slightest shift of my weight. I yank the stationary out of the ceiling, leaving a small yet obvious hole, and make my way back down again. I throw the scissors onto the table, grab my gloves and wrap case and walk out of the cafeteria before anyone can talk to me.

**\--Silver POV--**

I watch Espio throw his wrap case into the nearest trash can and storm out of the cafeteria without a word, and feel a small pang of guilt run through me. I could have quite easily gotten the scissors out of the ceiling with my psychokinesis, but I have lies to cover up and a power to hide.

"Ohhh he's _triggered_ ," says Knuckles.

"Maybe he wouldn't be so triggered if you'd actually given him a choice," Shadow retorts.

"Dude, the guy's fucking weird. Have you ever lived with him before?"

"It's probably you driving him up the wall that made him weird. Pun entirely intended."

"That was terrible, Shadow," says Tails, rolling his eyes.

"Not as bad as yours, though. I'm not even supposed to make jokes and here I am blowing your comedy skills right out of the water."

"That was one time! One pun!"

"And I'm never gonna let you forget it."

For the next few minutes I just stare at the table, wondering what I've done. I've come back in time. I've more than likely screwed up the whole world just by being here. I lost the Chaos Emerald so even if I wanted to go back to the future, I couldn't. I'm hiding the one thing that I'm really good at. I'm lying about everything except for my name. What _am_ I doing? What part of me thought this would be an even remotely good idea?

"Sil... you alright there?"

"Oh... yeah, yeah I'm good, Sonic. Good. Just... daydreamed a little, that's all."


	23. Chapter 23

**\--Vector POV--**

Espio's been gone for over two hours now. I don't usually worry when he's gone for a while, but he usually disappears on Fridays, and it's still Wednesday. I shake off my worries and keep listenin' to the sweet, sweet music pumpin' through my headphones. I twirl my chains around my finger whilst lightly headbangin' to the songs. Then the door opens just as my favorite song begins.

"GODDAMMI- oh. Yer back."

Espio hangs up his coat and asks, "Did I interrupt something?"

"Nah, yer fine. Where ya been, anyways?"

"Robotropolis."

"Wat?" I blurt. "It's Wednesday, what're yer doin' there for?"

"Just confirming a decision earlier than I should have because I don't want to be worrying about this sort of thing for any longer than I need to," he answers. He then looks around the dorm, as if checking that nothing's hiding. Knuckles glances across at me, silently asking what the fuck he's doing. I shrug my shoulders in reply.

"Where's Scourge, and if he's not hiding in here, how long is he gonna be out for?" Espio asks.

"He left about an hour ago to 4C so he can go touch up Fiona or something. I dunno when he'll be back," says Knuckles. I can imagine that being right. He continues, "Why, do you need him or something?"

"Scourge is the last thing I need right now," Espio replies, sitting on his bed and sighing. "Guys, there's something you ought to know. Two things, actually."

I see Espio fidget slightly, and wonder what he could possibly be so on-edge about. He's supposed to be a calm, level-headed ninja. I get that it could be 'ard to maintain that sometimes, but lately he's been gettin' really out of character. Like when I scared the shit out of him on Friday, and when he was ranting about Physics last Tuesday. Now _that_ was somethin'. I don't think I've ever seen him get so worked up about anythin' since he was, what, eight?

"Vector, are you listening?" he asks.

"Oh yeh, yeh I am. Continue." Espio then opens his mouth to speak, but I interrupt him. "WAIT. Is this gonna be like one of dem good news an' bad news situations?"

"I guess that depends on who you're asking," he scowls. "Now, the first thing... Knuckles, don't kill me, but I might have caused the power cut whilst I was out on Friday. Don't ask how I caused it, because I'm not entirely sure myself, but I was probably involved somewhere. I'm sorry you got hurt, I didn't know what was happening."

There's a long pause. I'm half expecting Knuckles to erupt but it never happens.

"...And the second thing?" he prompts.

"Yeah. The second thing. You really are gonna kill me for this one. Well, maybe not literally but-"

"Get teh yer point, Es."

"Alright, alright! So you know how I've been doing ninja training for six years now? Well I've been given the opportunity to graduate and... I've taken it."

I'm confused for a second. Why is graduating a bad thing? Obviously Knuckles knows something I don't because he's goin' apeshit.

"What... What the f- WHY Espio? Are you fucking crazy?"

"I'm at an advantage against Bean! And he agreed to this way before I did so it was on me, and I don't want to get called a coward for the nineteenth time!"

"Er... guys, is it just me or am I missin' somethin', 'ere?"

"YES!" they both shout, simultaneously. It's Knuckles who gives the context. "Yes, Vector! You are! That silly little chameleon just signed himself up for a fuckin' deathmatch!"

_Fuck, the deathmatch._

I can't believe I could forget somethin' like that! What sort of god-awful roommate am I if I can't even remember the teensy little details of my best friend's hobby? Lacer even tried to get me to forge Dad's signature to sign Espio up to ninja trainin' because the form needed two signatures and I read the thing and I refused to sign it because of all the stuff about deathmatches! That's probably the most vivid memory I have! And here I am, looking a complete idiot because I was about to congratulate Es on going to graduate. Fuck me.

I watched a few of the previous ones. I didn't like what Lacer was signing Espio up for, so a few years ago I insisted on taggin' along with him and seein' some of this for myself. The fights are... variable, to say the least. Some could last hours, some could be over within the first ten seconds. It's rumored that back in 1907, the battle lasted sixteen days, before the fight was called off and both ninjas were allowed to graduate. It's pretty famous in the ninja community. And the weird thing is that in the photos, one of the ninjas looked just like Knuckles and the other looked a bit like Amy.

I just hope that Espio gets a fair fight. Being in a detective family an' all, I know what people can do in response to a threat. I don't want no cheatin' on Bean's end. I'm not sure how it's possible to cheat on a deathmatch, I mean, you can't exactly cheat death. But I'm still gettin' to know these rules like the back of my friggin' hand, because from what Es has said about Bean, he sounds like bad news. I mean, his obsession with bombs for starters. Apparently he be chuckin' dynamite around whenever the Sensei's back's turned. Even I know that bombs don't qualify as ninja weapons. If that duck even dares to bring a bomb out into that arena, I'm gonna rip his fuckin' throat out and wear it as a fuckin' necktie.

_Alright, cool it, Vec. Es surely knows what he's gettin' himself into. Don' sweat it._

I lean back on my pillow and rest my arms behind my head. Arms are comfier than pillows. Readily adjustable, whereas a pillow's just one set shape an' takes a heck of a lot of effort to warm up. And then I put the music back on, and play my favourite song on repeat, and worship the music like it's a god. Nothin' gets in the way of my music. Not even Espio, because I trust his judgement.


	24. Chapter 24

**\--Manic POV--**

This sort of thing takes weeks to perfect, and it's just that which I have done. I stare at the paper pinned to the side of the bedpost and grin as I put a fat red cross on November 31st, and do a silent cheer whilst ripping the paper off the post and slam-dunking it in the trash. It's the first day of December and tonight's gonna be the best night that Annual Game Night has ever seen.

But it's still 5:30 in the morning.

I'm distracted throughout the day. I plan out all of the finishing touches in my head and draw little diagrams with paper I ripped out from the middle of my English book: seating plans, a rules page, scoreboards (not that we're going to need them but I'm having them anyway in case something unexpected happens), and a slightly neater list of all the confirmed players this time. There's not as many as last year. Probably because it was such a disappointment. I rushed the planning and procrastinated like there's no tomorrow. I resorted to Monopoly, but only Sonic and I knew how to play it and Sonic never wants to come. It's strange, that. Other than Jet, he's the most competitive person I know, and yet he won't come. Apparently party games aren't his thing.

"Lemme see that-" says Scourge, snatching the members list out of my hands just after we leave Period 5. "Riiight, so we've got Amy, Rouge, Wave, Jet, Sally, Marine, Mighty, Espio, Vector, Ray, Fiona, Knuckles, Storm... Dude, is this your kill list or something?"

"Close. It's a list of people showing up for Annual Game Night."

"So why aren't we on it?"

"Unfold the paper, dumbass."

"...Oh."

I whip the paper back and stuff it into my pocket, trying not to crease it too much. I was planning on using this list to cross off the names of who's in and out so there's a clear winner at the end of all this. I enter the library and find Vector already setting up the necessary.

"Are you playing librarian for us, or something?" Scourge asks. I answer, because Vector looks very busy and I don't want to distract him.

"I assigned him the role of entry DJ just for the fun of it."

"Yeh, an' 'ere I am tryna hack into friggin' school U-Tube so I can 'ave some sick party tunes runnin'. Where's Tails when ya need 'im... How long are we needin' these tunes for, boss?"

"Just for when everyone's coming in. We'll need it to be kinda quiet during the game."

"Why, what are we playing? Chinese whispers?"

"Nah, you'll see, Scourge, you'll see."

"For god's sake, man, I'm co-host. I need to know what we're doing..." he trails off, and continues with some incoherent mumbling, then spins around and yells, "Manic, this had better be good! If this turns out like last year then I'm gonna fucking give host to _Amy_."

"Whoa! Chill the fuck out, man! Have some patience! If you really wanna know what I've done, I'll tell ya. Right here right now."

"Alright then, tell me."

"Okay so I've got truth or dare but without the truth so it's just dares, with a circle system so everyone has a fair chance and it's not just gonna be Rouge getting dared over and over again like it was last time we did dares, and then I put the Monopoly money in as a currency. You refuse a dare, you lose money. Go bankrupt, you're out. Richest person by 2am wins. How do you like that?"

Scourge and Vector look blankly at me for a second.

"This'd better be good, Manic," warns Scourge.

"Oho, it will be," I reply, with a smile.

For the next few hours, the three of us just chill out in the library jamming to 'We Like to Party' by 'Vengaboys' on repeat, and wait for everyone to leave before setting anything up. I've given up trying to hide Annual Game Night now. Everyone knows about it, and I'm pretty sure that it's only December 1st every year when the librarian _isn't_ here. I guess it's like we're just being told to get on with it.

In the meantime, I log onto a computer and do a few Gooqle searches and follow a tutorial on how to make an origami hat. I make different coloured hats for all of the different roles in the game. Scourge and I get blue because we're the hosts, whoever the banker is gets the yellow one and everyone else gets red. I've only got two more to make when people start finally showing up at the scheduled time of ten.

**\--Knuckles POV--**

"So are we going or not?"

"You know I don't like party games, Knux."

"Aw, _come on_ Sonic, it's just a bit of fun!"

"My idea of fun doesn't involve staying up until I can't function, or being stuck with a load of idiots, for hours, like Amy or Sally or Scourge..."

I continue pleading, but to no avail. Sonic isn't going to come with me, no matter how hard I try to make him. Giving up, I walk out of 4B and head downstairs to the library, and the door opens for me.

"Knuckles is here!" Amy yells, followed by Vector cheering and dragging me over to the desk to check out his improvised DJ deck.

"Hey, what's up good looking? Also, hi Amy," I tease. Vector glares at me, so I avoid it by turning back to Amy. "I haven't seen you since 19-aught-7."

"Oh my god, will somebody _please_ tell me what that means?"

"Oh, so you don't remember?" asks an amused Espio, turning visible between us. I sort of wish he wouldn't do that. It startles me every time.

"Don't remember what?"

"You know, that time you and Knuckles had a sixteen-day-long deathmatch back in 19-aught-7 but neither of you died because the spectators started having boredom-induced heart attacks and it had to stop. You're telling me you don't remember that?"

I can tell that it's taking all of Espio's energy for him to maintain a straight face. This is right up his alley. Confusing the shit out of Amy is one of his personal favorites of pastimes. Something he doesn't get to do very often.

"What the flying fuck is 19-aught-7?" Amy shouts.

"The year before 19-aught-8, dumbass," I answer, and Espio finally loses it.

"What the hell, Knuckles? Yeh actually got Espio teh start laughin'? This's gotta go down in 'istory, this 'as!"

"Vec- hrk- Vector, shut up!" yells a now hysterical Espio. I try to help him calm down, and it works after a while, but not without setting me off too.

"Can somebody please stop filling the air with laughing gas?" I ask, to nobody in particular, as a single tear rolls off my face from laughing so hard. I swear to god, the pasta in this place is spiked. Either that or someone really is filling the air with gas. Pure, alcoholic gas. But I imagined Espio to be more of an angry drunk than a hysterical one.

"Ladies, ladies, calm down now, it's almost time to get started!" shouts Manic, climbing up onto a table. "I, Manic Felgate-"

"Am the biggest street rat in town!"

"Thank you for that, Scourge, much appreciated... I, Manic Felgate, present to you, Annual Game Night!"

There's a long silence, followed by a quiet "woot woot" from someone in the corner.

"Jee, you're a tough crowd... Anyway! Put your hands up, who wants to know what we're doing?"

Everyone raises their hands all at once, some even shouting out a few guesses.

"Scourge my man, you're on explanation duty."

"Thank you, Manic," Scourge joins Manic on the table, bows, and begins the explanation. "This dumbass stood right next to me came up with what could be a genius idea if y'all just respect the rules, okay? So what we're doing is a game of dares. Not truth or dare, just dares, with the addition of this _lovely_ wad of... whatever the monopoly currency is, and everyone gets a hat. You do a dare, you win fifty. You refuse a dare, you lose a hundred. Everyone starts on fifty. Got no money? You're out, and you lose your party hat. Richest by 2am wins."

"Right. I'm out," someone announces. Then I see Mighty pushing his way through everyone to the exit. "I'm not being a part of this game."

"WAIT!"

"...Yes, Manic?" Mighty sighs, still making his way to the exit.

"You can be the banker. You dish out the money, you don't have to be a part of ANY dares, and you even get a snazzy yellow hat for all of your hard work. All you have to do is count cash."

Mighty pauses, his hand hovering inches over the door handle for a few seconds, and then retreats. "I... yeah, okay, sure. I guess I can do that."

The next few minutes is spent getting everyone into a logical seating plan based on birthdays, and I find myself sat between Espio and Rouge. I notice Espio smirking out of the corner of my eye.

"What are you smiling at, Chameleon?"

"I know you wanted this to happen."

I sigh. He's right. He knows I've been trying to get with Rouge since Year 7, and I deeply regret telling him. We all put on our hats and the game begins.

**\--Sonic POV--**

I give up trying to sleep and watch the hands tick around the clock face for twenty seven more minutes, wondering what the hell I'm doing with my life. My excuse for not participating in Annual Game Night was that I'd be staying up way too late and get tired, and here I am at 1:56, wide awake. I guess it wouldn't have hurt, but it's too late to go now. In four minute's time, someone's gonna win the title. I'm not entirely sure what the title is anymore.

I roll over onto my right side and attempt for the third time to get to sleep. It's not like anything big's stopping me, either. Shadow's a relatively quiet snorer and if it wasn't for the weird blueish glow, I wouldn't even know that Silver's here. I asked him about that glow the other day and he dodged the question. Last time I checked, hedgehogs didn't glow in the dark, but this one certainly does.

Just as I feel sleep begin to creep up on me, my phone starts pinging. Irritated and cursing quietly under my breath, I swat away my bed sheets and grab my phone off the shelf next to me.

* * *

_Today, 1:57am_

**Manic:** Bro

 **Manic:** Bro

 **Manic:** BRO ANSWER ME

_1:58am_

**You:** Wtf dude I'm tryna sleep.

 **Manic:** I need you for a dare. I swear to god, I'm one dare away from winning.

 **You:** Goodnight, Manic.

_1:59am_

**Manic:** GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW, BITCH. IT'S ME OR AMY.

* * *

_Amy? No way am I letting her win._

I throw my phone back on the shelf, leap out of bed and sprint out of the dorm as fast as I can. When I make it to the hive, there's only ten seconds left before 2am, and as soon as I enter, Manic has me pinned up against the door frame.

"Don't freak out when I do this," he warns. "I was dared."


	25. Chapter 25

**\--Silver POV--**

_I hover above the fire and lava, staring at the device in my hands, trying to work out where I'm going so wrong. All I wanted to do was get a meal out with Blaze. That's all._

_"Gooqle Maps said the Denny's would be just around the corner..." I say to myself. I continue onward past the skyscraper and take a right turn, only to be stopped by a giant flame appearing in front of me._

_"Get out of my way... please!" I yell, startled, and push the flame away from me with my Psychokinesis. Travel has always been a problem. Flames get in the way and if you don't pay attention, you're gonna be reduced to dust._

_"Silver!"_

_I spin around in the air and see Blaze parkouring effortlessly over the city heights to get to me._

_"The Denny's is that way!" she shouts, pointing behind her. I look in the same direction and see the Denny's behind another building. A smile forms on my face._

_"Finally..." I sigh. "A Grand Slam..." I dash towards the Denny's, leaving Blaze to catch up behind me. "Let's go!"_

_"Save a cheese melt for me, Silver!"_

* * *

I'm jolted awake by something slamming onto the floor. I open my eyes just in time to see Sonic dashing out of the dorm. I check the time. Why would he be in such a rush at this time? It's almost two in the morning. I then glance over at Shadow, who still appears to be fast asleep. I've already established that this guy sleeps like a rock, but surely even the deepest of sleepers would be woken by someone practically homing-attacking the ground right next to them. I'm tempted to go check that he's not dead, but immediately decide against it. I don't want a punch to the face.

I feel a wave of sadness come over me when I think about the dream I just had. Blaze and I went to the Denny's about three days before she died. Well... left. That was the last meal we ever had together. And they'd ran out of cheese melts before we even got there.

I start to move a pencil around in the air with my Psychokinesis to take my mind off Blaze. I know I shouldn't be doing this but when I listen closely, I can hear Shadow quietly snoring, and nobody's going to see me so I don't see any point in banning myself from using my powers any longer. I start getting a little more confident, forgetting the fact that either Sonic or Manic could return at any moment, and start making all of the objects in the room float and dance around in circles all at once. Then I hear voices outside, and frantically send everything back to their right places before anyone comes inside. I'm safely finished by the time the door opens.

"I don't believe this."

"It was a dare, okay? Did you want Amy to win or not?"

"If I'd have known what you were gonna have to do, then yes! In fact, I'd have cheered her on if I was there!"

Sonic and Manic continue arguing about something that I figure would require a hell of a lot of context to understand, so I don't bother digging deep into what just happened. It turns out I wouldn't have needed to anyway, because Shadow begins to stir.

"What the... guys will you keep it down? People are trying to sleep-"

"MANIC JUST KISSED ME!" Sonic yells.

Shadow pauses halfway through sitting up, and looks at Manic, then to me, and mouths "What the fuck are they on?" to me. I shrug my shoulders in return. It's Manic he should be asking. Not me.

"It was a dare!" Manic defends. I guess that makes it a little more okay but... did he not have a choice?

"Hold up," Shadow says. "So... you're saying that Manic just kissed you for a dare... to stop Amy from winning whatever you were playing? What is this game? The Sonic Snogathon?"

"Probably. I bet Amy would enjoy that, actually," I agree, quietly. I've lived here long enough now to know that Amy is absolutely head-over-heels for Sonic. So much so that she mistakes Shadow and I for him on a very regular basis.

"So you guys aren't actually in a homosexual, inscestual relationship, then?" Shadow asks, just for confirmation.

"Hell no!" they both answer, simultaneously. They both climb up to their beds.

"I swear to god, this is why I don't go to these party game things. I'd rather be called a lazy, no-fun, party-pooping son of a bitch than get kissed by my own brother..."

"Alright, cool it, Sonic, it's not like I wanted to do that either. I just had a game to win!"

"Suuure."

I spend the next hour trying to get back to sleep, but the sleep never comes. As soon as I even get close to being asleep I think of Blaze, and then the cycle of tossing and turning and yelling at myself inside my head to go to sleep starts all over again. I end up staying awake for the rest of the night, wondering why I can hear knocking and scraping sounds coming from next door. I decide not to investigate.

**\--Knuckles POV--**

"You know, I never did like the layout of this room."

I sit up and look at Scourge, who's sat on the edge his bed, leaning forward with his hand on his chin.

"I don' tink dere's owt wrong wiv it. What da hell's wrong wiv it?" Vector yawns.

"I just think," Scourge starts, "that we'd have a heck of a lot more room if we turned Knuckles and Espio's bunks the other way round."

"We have enough room as it is!" I argue. "Besides, I'm tired as fuck. I don't wanna get out of bed just for this."

"But what about when all five of us are in here?" he protests.

"What?" Espio blurts. "I'm sorry, but if you think we're shifting this entire bed just so that crook can have more room, you've got another thing coming."

Scourge suddenly gets up, and walks right up to Espio and stops when they're just centimetres apart.

"Just for that, you can help me move it."

"Scourge, dude," I say, after a long silence. "Three reasons why you shouldn't do this: It's three against one, it's three in the morning, and if even if Vector helped, the three of you wouldn't be able to get me out of this bed even if you tried."

"Well in that case," he says with an evil grin, "Es and I are gonna move the bed with you in it."

"Scourge, that's never gonna work-"

"Shut up Espio, you silly, feeble-minded little gay. You get that end, I'll take the top."

Scourge suddenly yanks the top end of the bunk bed, shifting it about two feet, and nearly tipping it over. I have to frantically shift my body weight in order to counteract the tipping.

"Okay, okay! Jesus Christ, man, I'll get out of the darn bed!" I exclaim in a panic, and hop down onto the ground.

Ten minutes of furniture moving later, Scourge and Espio are almost done. They moved one of the cabinets to face the other way to allow for the bunk bed to slide in at the right wall instead of the back one.

"Espio, I need you to do one more shove."

"But this thing's so heavy..."

"There's that word again. Heavy. Do you have a problem with the Mobian gravitational pull?"

"No..."

"Well then shove it!"

Espio takes a deep breath, then grunts as he forces the bunk beds into the corner in one push. I look up at Vector from where I'm stood, and he looks just as astounded as I feel by how Espio actually helped Scourge. I decide that I'm going to be having a good long chat with Espio about that, next time the three of us are alone again. I know it's not like he had much choice, but he could have at least argued with him a little. I climb back up to top bunk and take a look at my new view. If I sit up, then I can see the window a little better, which I guess is nice, but the freed-up space now looks incredibly bare. I look down at the floor and notice that Espio really didn't have a lot of stuff under his bed at all. Just his suitcase and his purple shoes. And then I realize why the bed was put against the back wall originally anyway. The carpet's all curled up along the side, like it wasn't fitted properly or something. Just looking at it reminds me of the basement at home. Since Raster rented out dad's basement for the Chaotix, the place has been a hell hole, just like how this place looks now.

**\--Espio POV--**

I don't panic very often. Most of the time, when I'm in a situation where I would panic, I can get out of said situation before any problems arise. Either that or just meditate my way out of it. But I can't see any way out of the problem I'm in at the moment at all, and meditating would just make it worse because then I can't monitor the problem to see if it's been uncovered. All of my senses heighten as the night continues, and I don't sleep. Instead, I stare at the carpet where my secret box is hidden and wonder where the hell I'm going to hide it now. The carpet is beyond exposed, and if anyone tried to look at it or fix it or even just walk over it, they'd find the missing floorboard and all of a sudden, every worthwhile possession I have would be unsafe. I'm not a particularly materialistic person, but my place in this school is at stake for as long as those weapons are exposed. I wait until everyone is asleep all at the same time, which doesn't happen until five in the morning. I've been awake for twenty-four hours now and I don't think I'll last much longer, but I still zombie-walk out of my bed, going invisible and trying desperately to stay stealth and not let my fatigue get the better of me, and retrieve the box from the floor.

Then I just stand there, not knowing what to do or where to go next.

My eyes dart around the room, trying to find another small nook or cranny to hide the box in. It's a relatively small box so I shouldn't have a problem. I find another rather obvious lift in the carpet beneath Scourge's bed, then consider my other options. I could just wazz it in my cupboard and be done with it, but then Knuckles might find it. I could put it under my bed, which would also be a very easy find. Or I could put it in the floorboards under Scourge's bed, risk getting my ass kicked if he sees or hears me, but never have him find it because there's nothing under his bed at all so he'd have no reason to go there, but even if he does find it, he'd be able to look in it without me knowing and potentially tell the whole school that I'm hiding an array of deadly weapons, not to mention reading all the letters too.

I realize that if anyone wakes up now, the first thing they're going to see is a wooden box floating in mid-air, and then they'd know for sure that I'm up to something. So I take my chances and stuff the box into the gap under Scourge's bed as quickly and quietly as I can, and then decide that I'm going to sleep through the entire of tomorrow, school day or not. I'm sure I'll catch up.


	26. Chapter 26

**\--Sonic POV--**

"YESSSSS! Another term done!" I exclaim as I enter the hub, and flop onto the nearest chair. This has probably been the most boring December of my life. Eggman's no fun anymore either. Jet and I have been struggling to think of anything to do to annoy him since we broke Shadow so we just gave up trying and decided to just be weird in lessons instead.

"Hey Sonic!" Tails shouts from the other end of the hub. "You've got to see what Knuckles found in Physics!"

"You're not even supposed to be in here, Tails," I say. "This is the Year 10 hub."

"But I like it here. And it's not like Year 8 are missing me."

"Alright, lemme see it I guess-"

"Just look at this thing. It's _legendary_ ," says Knuckles, handing me a sheet of paper, and on it is a drawing of Eggman's face with "Baldy Nosehair" written underneath.

"What the actual..." I don't finish my sentence before bursting out in fits of laughter. "Baldy Nosehair? That's the best thing I've seen all day! I've gotta remember that one."

"Haha, yeah, I've already written it down," Tails agrees. "Now turn it over."

I do as he says and find myself face-to-face with a very detailed drawing of Eggman on a strip pole in some very... revealing clothing, with "Dr. RoBUTTnik" written on the thong.

"What. The. Actual. Hell."

I hear Knuckles quietly sniggering behind me. "Dude, your _face_ right now."

"Who would draw something like this?" I exclaim. "This is... This is legendary but at the same time very concerning. I think I would like to have a conversation with this person."

"We have no idea who did it," Tails explains. "Shadow and Espio were just as horrified as you look and we don't know who's in Eggman's other classes."

I stare blankly at the sketches in front of me, and half consider tearing them up before they get permanently etched into my mind, because nobody needs that sort of thing haunting them over Christmas, but I change my mind when I remember that Baldy McNosehair's on the other side, so I dash over to the photocopier, photocopy Baldy McNosehair and toss the original into the trash.

"I'm keeping this," I announce, and head into my dorm to pack my stuff before I go back home.

**\--Espio POV--**

"Yeh ready ta go, Es?"

"Not quite, Vector. I won't be long though. You go and I'll catch you up."

"It'll be pretty 'ard to catch up a train, yeh know."

"Seriously, I won't be long."

"Alright. If ya insist."

As soon as Vector leaves, I dive under Scourge's bed and get my box. I've been keeping an eye on it and he never went in it. If he did, then he's a lot better at covering his tracks than I am, and that's saying something. Just as I'm about to wriggle back out from under the bed, the door opens, and I'm forced to turn invisible and get completely underneath so nobody can trip over me. I peek out and watch Scourge begin packing all of his stuff. I pray that he won't touch me when he reaches under the bed for the suitcase, and I have to silently shuffle to the other end of the bed to avoid his hands. He takes his time, and I begin to worry that I'll miss the train. I keep checking the clock, and trying to map out the city in my head so I can take the shortest sprintable route to the station. When Scourge finally leaves, there's only ten minutes left. I yank the box out of the floor, throw it into my suitcase and leg it out of the school as fast as my legs will carry me.

I find myself running down the back roads coming off Main Street, leaping over puddles and skidding a fair distance over the icy pavements to get my breath back. Back in the city, I have to dodge crowds of migrating people and avoid the rush hour traffic to make it to the station on time. I slide between the doors of the Robotropolis train as they begin to close, and yank my case through them before they close onto it. I only get a few seconds to breathe before I'm ambushed by Knuckles and Vector.

"Where the hell were you? You almost missed the train!"

"Sorry Knuckles, I-I got held up."

"Yeh got held up? Es, yeh said it like ya'd be minutes and yeh took half a friggin' hour!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" I shout, between exhausted pants. "I'll explain when I can breathe."

We throw out our suitcases onto the shelf above some empty seats and I sit at the window seat next to Knuckles whilst I catch my breath. I try to ignore the aching in my thigh muscles and stare out of the window at the city. The setting sunlight reflects off the windows of the skyscrapers and the frost on the ground, and stains the clouds a bright shade of orangey-pink. The other end of the sky is still blue, and merges with the orange somewhere in the middle. I find myself drawn in by the sunset, forgetting everything else and just staring at the horizon as the train speeds away from the city.

"So, yeh explainin' or what?"

I'm pulled out of my trance by Vector, and glare at him, not talking.

"Awh, come on Es, wazza matteh wiv ya-"

"Alright Vector, they guy clearly doesn't want to talk, so leave him alone."

"The hell, Knuckles, 'e could've missed da train!"

"Leave. Him."

Vector sighs and leans back, muttering under his breath about how worried he was about me. I couldn't exactly have helped being late. I had to get those weapons out of the carpet before anyone else did, and then Scourge just happened to walk in. If Knuckles and Vector even had an ounce of braincells, they'd be able to figure that out themselves. What is there to say?

The rest of the journey is spent in silence. The train stops, we grab our stuff, and walk the short distance from the Robotropolis station to the house. Knuckles and Vector stay behind a little, talking about chaos-knows what, so I'm the first in. No sooner than I've turned the key to the door, I'm bombarded with hugs from the one person I've been waiting to see since October.

"ESPIO!!!" shouts the hyperactive bee, flying up to my shoulders and hugging me with all the force he can manage. I drop my suitcase and hug back.

"Hello Charmy! How've you been?"

"I REALLY missed you, Espio. Why do you have to stay at school ALL the time?"

"That's just how a boarding school works, Charmy," I explain, lifting him off me so I can move out of the doorway.

"Aww, that's no fun-"

He's cut off by a familiar voice. "Mornin'."

I look down the hallway into the living room, and see a big, dark green crocodile slumped on the sofa with a cup of coffee and a laptop on his knee.

"Raster, it's half past seven in the evening..."

"Yeh, I know, just messin' wiv ya. Y'alright, Espio?"

I nod my head, then kick off my shoes and drag my suitcase upstairs.

"Oooh! Espio, lemme help!" Charmy yells, flying around me in circles.

"No, I'm really fi-"

"I insist!" he declares, grabbing the bottom end of the suitcase and lifting it up for me. I reluctantly accept his help, and together we pull the suitcase up the stairs the rest of the way.

"It's not even that heavy, Espio."

"I know. I'm just... a little tired, that's all. Thanks."

He smiles, does a salute, and buzzes back downstairs. I love Charmy. He's always so happy. He can make anybody happy. I know he's really hyper and likes to play silly jokes on us, but that little guy's the highlight of my life. There are times when I don't know what I'd do without him.


	27. Chapter 27

**\--Shadow POV--**

"Howdy, partner! Hows about ya check out ma brand spankin' new voice chip?"

"IVO!" I shout. "CUBOT'S ALTERED HIS VOICE CHIP AGAIN!"

There's a few crashing sounds coming from upstairs, then thumping as Ivo runs down them.

"A-wha?"

I look at Ivo, and cringe at his attire. Or... lack of it. He's only got a pink towel on and his face is full of shaving foam. Not a very pleasant sight but I guess nothing can get much worse than Dr. Robuttnik so I attempt to ignore the view.

"He keeps changing it onto cowboy," I explain, purposely not looking Ivo in the eye.

"What? I told you to glue it in there!"

"Can't do that without breaking the circuit, mister 300 IQ physics teacher."

"Oh very well, I'll sort him out later," he says, stomping back up the stairs and leaving a trail of shower water on the wooden steps.

I look back behind me and watch Cubot pretend that he is a cowboy in the hallway, and shake my head. Ivo manufactured these robots to be as smart as he could get them, with them still being unable to rebel. Sometimes I wonder how smart you have to be to rebel against him, because if this is the intelligence limit, then why am I still here? I begin to question my own intelligence as I walk into the kitchen and grab a bag of chorizo bites out of the fridge, then realize that comparing my intelligence to that of a robot is really not going to work because a robot doesn't even have a brain. But then there's the argument that if we were both artificially manufactured then are we really that different?

"YEEEHAWWWW!"

_Yeah. We're very different._

I lean on the kitchen counter and spend some time staring out of the window. I could be doing _anything_ right now and yet I choose to be bland and stare out of a fucking window. I guess I could be let off for that though, as these chorizo bites are anything but bland. I make the mistake of breathing through my mouth for a split second and the spice hits the back of throat so hard that my eyes begin to water. So then I try to rub them, which turns out to be another really bad idea. I stand over the sink with my eyes clamped shut, enduring the pain, and feeling my IQ deplete by the second. When I can finally open my eyes again, I return to the window and continue being bland, trying to ignore the fact that I just chilid my entire face and act normal like nothing happened. I'm drawn to Cream's house. If I lean close enough to the window, I can just about see her front garden, and in it is a swingball set getting thwacked to high-heaven by Cream and Silver.

_Wait... Silver? Why is he with Cream?_

I shake it off as just a friendship thing. He's surprised me, actually. He's settled in pretty well. If I'd never been to the school before I'd just think he's an ordinary student who's been there just as long as anyone else. I watch them play their game for a while until they're called inside by Ms. Vanilla, and then decide to go get Ivo to go and fix Cubot before he breaks something. Preferably his neck.

**\--Espio POV--**

I sneak down the stairs, invisible and avoiding the creaky boards, to eavesdrop on what Raster's doing with father and Knuckles. They've been in the basement for six hours now, so whatever it is that they're doing, it's important. They're crowding around the computer, whispering to each other. I have to creep around behind them to get a look at what's on-screen.

"So, are we done editing?" Knuckles asks.

"Lemmeh just clip da end off, an' then we're done, yeh?" whispers Raster, leaning so close to the screen that his breath steams up on the surface.

"You do realize," Father starts, "that publishing this radio ad is the worst thing we could do right now."

"Whadda yeh mean, Lace?"

"I mean," he starts counting on his fingers. "that one, everyone hates us, two, we're relying on the Armadillos for rent money and they could run off at a moment's notice, and three, publishing this ad is going to cost a fuck-ton of money that _we don't have_. I don't know why I stay here, honestly."

"Yeh stay 'ere for da free hugs an' da free food."

"Well, I guess I can't deny that."

"Are you done yet?"

"Alright, Knux, gimmeh some leeway 'ere, this is 'ard ya know-"

"I mean," Father reasons. "We do have a computer science genius sneaking around behind us right now who can speed things up a little, right son?"

I freeze on the spot when Father says my name, then decide to turn visible again because now I've been detected, there's no point in staying stealth anymore.

"How did you know I was here?"

"Locke made me put up infrared cameras in case anyone gets in here whilst we're gone. In other words, he doesn't trust chameleons when they're in charge of his house."

"Really?" Raster exclaims with surprise. "Man, whadda control freak..."

"Dad's just used to guarding stuff, okay?" Knuckles defends. "Come here, Espio, Raster is obviously incapable of doing this on his own."

Knuckles and Raster move out of the way, giving me access to the computer. Raster explains what it is I need to do and I do it in one keyboard shortcut in less than two seconds.

"Is that literally it?" I ask, in disbelief that Raster couldn't figure this out himself.

"I think's so. Wanna listen teh da final product, boys? Cuz I wanna."

Everyone nods their heads in general agreement, and Raster hits the save button and plays the ad.

* * *

_Once upon a time, you could be a bad guy  
And you'd live to see another day  
But now you'd never manage  
Boy, you'd be brain damaged  
Just to think that you could get away_

_The power has arrived in a dream team  
A force where one and one makes three  
And when the trail's gone cold  
And the lies have been told  
This crew will find what you can't see_

_Yeah, danger hides when the hyper bee flies  
And the ninja stars fly too  
The muscle is Raster, the karma collector  
And he's sworn to fight for you_

* * *

"Only legends can rhyme 'Raster' with 'collector'," Knuckles says, during the instrumental.

* * *

_Team Chaotix!  
They're detectives you want on your side  
Team Chaotix!  
Their directive's tracking down your crime  
Come along for the ride  
Truth can run but not hide for long  
The game is on now!_

* * *

"You guys wrote this?" I ask.

"Lyrics an' singin' by yours truly!" Raster boasts, taking a bow.

"My idea, though," Knuckles adds. "Back in nineteen-aught-seven when I graduated from the _mostly_ fictional University of Shitty Advertisement, I learnt that a song will probably get you somewhere."

"OI!" Raster exclaims. "MAH SONG AIN'T SHITTY!"

"Alright, men, compose yourselves, we're supposed to be being professional! Swearing is not professional!"

"Shuddup, Lacer, swearin's an art form dat only da awesomest can understand."

"So is having good grammar," I add. "Now are you guys gonna publish this thing or not?"

Just something about the song... it's sparked a little hope within me that maybe the Chaotix isn't completely doomed. I don't know how, or why, but maybe Knuckles and Raster might strike gold with this.

"Yeh, we're gonna do dat later. Now you kids can either stay down 'ere an' we all play PUBG together _or_... yeh can go back upstairs an' wrestle in ya Fortnite, or whatever the kids are playin' now."

"PUBG's old news, Raster," Says Knuckles, rolling his eyes. "Tetris 99's where it's at."


	28. Chapter 28

_Team Chaotix!  
They're detectives you want on your side  
Team Chaotix!  
Their directive's tracking down your crime  
Come along for the ri-_

* * *

**\--Shadow POV--**

I turn off the radio before the ad even finishes. With a long, cheesy ad like that, it won't be long before the Chaotix are bankrupted. They never were a big company. I reckon they just rented out a shed or a basement somewhere. I think the peak of their business was at the Soleanna attacks, and even then they had help from the GUN, and the Robot Commander is still on the loose. I'm pretty sure authorities have given up looking. Even the Zone Cops appear to have given up. Though that never takes a lot.

No sooner as there is silence in my room, my phone rings. I know what's coming and I'm not sure I want to hear it, but I answer anyway.

"Hey Shad! Merry Christmas!"

_Oh heck..._

"Really Sonic? You know I don't do that shit here."

"Aww _come on_! Can't you get at least a _little_ festive?"

"The most festive I'm ever gonna get is a thrift store Christmas card and a ready-made turkey sandwich. It's just not worth the effort. I have better things to do than celebrate a blatant lie."

"What do you mean?"

"Some magical god kid gets born, who seems to be getting very popular, and then is arrested and killed for being too popular, which only makes him more popular, then someone else was like, hey, you could make a religion out of this. Which is a really stupid idea because then we get weirdos coming up with all this turning water into wine shit, and gods magically creating random shit out of thin air which breaks all laws of physics simultaneously, multiple times in a row. Like, how the fuck do people believe that shit?"

"Dude, just chill the hell out. I get that you don't do Christmas but at least try not to curse it out. And I'm pretty sure the laws of physics weren't around back then."

"You idiot, they've always been around! That's how shit works!"

"Alright. If you're gonna be like that then I'll just go. Merry Christmas, Scrooge McGrinch."

"Bye, Faker. Have fun with the lies."

He hangs up before I finish that last sentence, but I don't mind. Saves me the job of hanging up myself. I put my phone back on the bookshelf and return to my laptop, casually scrolling through Blueit trying to find a post that's not related to Christmas in some way. I end up on b/AskBlueit, trying to think of some dark-humored answers to some of the more thought-provoking questions, which passes some time, but I keep getting distracted by banging noises coming from downstairs. I leave my desk and walk out onto the landing to see what's going on.

"Granddad, I need you to come down into the basement and help me out with some stuff I've been working on."

"If it involves any more physical activity, then I'm not helping you. You know how my back is nowadays, Ivo."

"Pleeeeease?"

"Can't Shadow help?"

"No, he's too grouchy. You make me feel stronger and smarter because you're here. Now come on."

I watch Gerald shuffle off into the basement with Ivo. I don't think a day goes by when Ivo's not down there. I have no idea what he's doing, because I'm not allowed in without permission and when I ask what he does, he won't tell me. I can't help but get a little suspicious from time to time, but whatever this is, it's not affecting me so I'm not getting involved.

**\--Silver POV--**

Cream and Vanilla have been doing all sorts of strange stuff to the house over the last few days. Apparently there's something called 'Christmas' going on today. Whatever it is, we didn't do it in the future. The thing is, Christmas seems like such a big thing that I never asked anyone what it is because I feel like I'm supposed to know, and I still haven't gotten the hang of all this Gooqle stuff. It was such a rare thing to have in the future that I never learnt how to use anything other than Gooqle Maps, so if I wanted to find out what this Christmas thing is, I wouldn't be able to without messing something up.

"Merry Christmas, Silver!" Cream shouts, as I open my bedroom door. "Come downstairs! Everything's ready now."

I follow Cream downstairs into the living room and find a pile of colorful boxes stacked around the Christmas tree, and Vanilla's hanging up some weird sock-looking things on the mantle.

"Merry Christmas!" She sings, coming up to me and giving me a big hug.

"Um, yeah, about that. What actually is Christmas?"

There's silence for a few seconds, and I worry that I'm going to get into trouble for not knowing.

"You don't know?" Vanilla asks, confused.

"We didn't do anything like this in the future."

"Oh yes, of course, the future! Ah, silly me," Vanilla laughs.

Cream cuts her off with an explanation. "Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the son of god, who died for everyone then came back to life. but not many people believe that anymore so we all settle for gifts and decorations and turkeys instead."

"Gifts?"

"Yeah. Christmas presents."

I look back at the boxes under the tree, and begin to feel guilt as I realize why I really should have asked about this earlier.

"I'm sorry, I... I didn't get you anything."

"Oh, well, never mind," Vanilla says, smiling. "We'll let you off seeing as you had no idea what Christmas was in the first place."

We all open our gifts, play a few party games and eat until we can barely stand, watch Queen Aleena's speech, and then watch a few Christmas movies before turning in for the night, but instead of sleeping, I decide to just sit on my bed and stare at the salt lamp that Cream got for me. There's so many colours in it. I wanna paint it. The whole thing just looks like a sparkly, glowy, multi-coloured waterfall with little cloudy frothy bits in it. I decide to put it on my windowsill so the glass could reflect the rainbow light all around the room, and make the ceiling look like it's got stars and galaxies on it. I like the sky. It was a bit daunting at first, because it was just so open and I could see for so far, but now I'm starting to recognize the beauty that it holds. That beauty that I never ever got to see before. I tried to imagine it before, but nothing ever came close to this. Is this what all of those astronauts were seeing when they went up in the sky above all of the smoke to fix the time satellites? They must have had a great job. Apart from the fact that the entire world is relying on them and them only to tell us what time it is, and if they mess it up then we could be late to everything. But if everyone else is late too then I guess it wouldn't really matter.

I want to go up in the sky. Higher than I can fly by myself. If there was a chance that I could get up there in a rocket and see everything that those astronauts saw, but without the smoke, then my life would be complete.


	29. Chapter 29

**\--Vector POV--**

"Nyoom nyoom! Officer McCopface, we have a car going too fast on Road Street! What's that? You want me to chase it? Okay! NYEORRWMMMM... Gotcha! You're under arrest you speeding fiend! Now get in my helicopter and I'll fly you to the station! Chchchchchch-NYOOOOOM!"

"Heheh, alright, Charm. I know we gots ya that birthday prezzie ya really wanted, but dat don't mean yeh can play wiv it twenny-four-seven, alright? People wanna walk around in 'ere wivout gettin' dere 'eads chopped off wiv an attack 'elicopter!"

"It's a POLICE helicopter, Vector! It says police on it!"

"Ah, heheh... so it does."

I leave the hallway before I get my headphones cut in two by the blades on that thing, and take shelter in the kitchen. I reach into the fridge for somethin' to eat an' listen to the conversation goin' on behind me.

"So, did you find childcare?" Lacer asks.

"Nah, everywhere dat's open wanted it bookin' two months in advance, an' everywhere else's shuttin' over the Christmas period," Dad complains.

"So that means..."

"We're gonna 'ave teh take Birthday Boy wiv us, yeh."

I'm stopped in my tracks, and all of a sudden I lose my appetite. I quietly place the cheese stick back in the refrigerator and close the door, before climbin' the stairs to my room to think about this. I don't often do a whole lotta thinkin', but the situation calls for it, I guess. It's December 27th. Charmy's birthday, an' at midday it's Espio's deathmatch. No childcare means Charmy's gonna 'ave to come with us, an' last time I checked, there weren't no kids' play area at the Robotropolis Shinobi clan. The poor kid's gonna 'ave to watch. How're we gonna explain this to 'im? Your big bro's gonna try an' kill someone today? If anything happens to Es up on that podium, Charm'll be traumatized. Those two mean the world to each other. The kid's only turned seven today. It ain't right to 'ave him watchin' stuff like this, but if he's too reckless to be left in an 'ouse on 'is own and there ain't no childcare to take 'im, then what else can we do? We can't exactly blindfold the kid. Poor guy's scared of the dark. It's an impossible situation. I guess we'd better just pray even more than before that Espio wins, and that he don't get too damaged in the process.

"Vector? Espio? It's time to go!" Lacer shouts. I reluctantly get up off my bed and leave my room.

I pass Espio on the landing. He's in his ninja gear. I ain't gonna lie, he looks kinda scary in all that. The thing is, the whole point of bein' a ninja is espionage, and 'is big yellow 'orn gives 'im away right away. I know bein' a chameleon an' all makes up for that, but if someone accidentally walks into 'im, they're gettin' impaled for sure.

"You ready, son?" Lacer asks, with an obviously fake smile.

Espio nods his head, and asks, "What are we doing about Charmy?"

Lacer pauses before answering. "We're taking him with us. We had no other choice."

"I'm gonna watch you fight!" Charmy shouts, flying around us and punching the air. Espio looks at me worriedly, and I just stare at my feet.

"Alright," Lacer says. "Let's go."

The car journey doesn't last very long. We could've walked the two miles, but then we might've been late an' then the whole thing would've been called off an' Lacer an' Es would've gotten into a hell of a lot of trouble.

"Are you excited Espio?" Charmy asks.

"Not really, Charmy. I mean-"

"Aww what? Are you _scared_?"

"No."

"Ohhh, I get it! You're just being grumpy because pirates are cooler than ninjas."

Espio scoffs. "Vector! Charmy's speaking blasphemy."

I decide to intervene before this ends in tears. From either person, actually. I know Es don't like it when people diss ninjas. "Alright, Charm, don' annoy Espio on 'is big day."

"But it's MY big day too!"

"We know, but..." I trail off, 'cause I don't really know what to tell 'im. Either he don't know that Espio could quite easily die today, or he's tough as nails. The latter, I sincerely doubt. This is gonna be such an 'orrible birthday for 'im. I ain't ever gonna forgive Dad if the kid's scarred for life after this. It's gettin' to the point now where I'm more worried about 'im than Espio. I know Espio can do this. He has so many advantages in so many places.

When we get to the Shinobi headquarters, Espio's immediately taken elsewhere by 'is Sensei, and the rest of us go to the family support place. It's actually just a meetin' room re-purposed as a spectator unit for approved people only, them bein' us, the other ninjas, Bean's family, and Vigil, if she ever shows up. Espio's mom was supposed to be 'ere hours ago. She don't have no phone or anythin' an' can only get in touch with us when she's with the Yagyu lot. We didn't tell Es about his mom. Vigil's notoriously bad for cancellin' plans an' not ever showin' up, and I know Es loves his mom almost as much as he loves Charmy, so if she didn't come when she said she would, he'd be devastated.

Everybody's gonna be devastated. Nothin's good about this. This ain't gonna end well, no matter what 'appens.

**\--Espio POV--**

"So, Mr. Skinny Purple Rhino, how're you feeling?"

I don't answer Bean because I don't know. I only agreed to do this because I don't like Bean. I can't exactly tell him that, can I?

"Quiet today, aren't you? Bet you think you're gonna annihilate me, huh? Well guess what? You won't."

"How would you know?" I ask, with forced aggressiveness.

He smiles, and taps the top of his beak with his index finger, before walking outside, chuckling to himself. There's something he's not telling me. Something that I'd rather not think about, because whatever it is, it'll just get me paranoid about what he's going to do to me out there, and paranoid is something I definitely do not need to be right now.

I decide to take my mind off Bean by emptying out my pockets. I don't need the extra weight pulling me down. I doubt a couple of tissues, house keys and a cellphone would weight that much, but every gram counts towards something, I guess. As I set my phone down on the bench, I make the last-minute decision to check my messages, seeing as I haven't done so in a few days. I turn on my phone and find six missed calls, all from a number I don't recognize, and one voicemail from the same number. I look around for people and find none, then play the message.

"Hey Espio, I know I shouldn't be doing this so I had to find a disposable cellphone so nobody can find out I've contacted you, so as soon as you've listened to this message, delete it. I just... I just want to wish you luck. W-With the fight. Vector told me about it. I hate that all of this has happened to us. We were best friends, man, it's... it's not fair that our families split us up like this! I just want you to know tha-"

"CAN ESPIO VASO AND BEAN KUKKU PLEASE MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE PODIUM. THE GRADUATION MATCH WILL BEGIN IN THREE MINUTES."

_Mighty..._

I can't be late. I don't have time to listen to the rest of his message. I close all windows on my phone and leave it on the bench to shut itself down.

Mighty is all I can think about on the way to the podium. We were best friends. He was the best friend I ever had, with Vector in a close second. He accepted me for who I am. He didn't freak out like everyone else did when I told them I was gay. He didn't even freak out when I told him that it was him I'd been pining over the entire time. We always understood each other in a way that nobody else did. And then the stupid Agency's debt had to ruin everything. He could have said anything, and I won't have heard it. And he'll never know. It could have been important. He was crying, in the message. I could hear him trying to fight it. Maybe he was going to give me a way of escaping this deathmatch, or a way to cheat death, or just... A good luck? A "try to win" sort of thing? There's a chance that I could die and I'll never know what it was that he was going to say, and he'll never know that I never knew. As I get to the top of the podium, I decide that I'm not going to win this for me, or for Vector, or for Father, or for Charmy, or for anyone else. This is for Mighty.

And then I come to a horrible realization. I didn't delete the message.


	30. Chapter 30

**\--Espio POV--**

I react late. I barely hear the gong sound, and by the time it's registered that the deathmatch has begun, Bean's already sent a shuriken my way. I dive out of the firing line, and mentally slap myself. I need to get my head in the game.

Logic has no place in Bean's fight. There are no tactics. Just wild throwing of metal and blades. Where there are no tactics, predicting the enemy's next move is impossible. The first few minutes is a grueling test of my agility. I dodge every weapon, with some of them coming way too close for comfort. I wait until Bean tires, and sink a knife into his leg.

Now it's my turn to attack. I start off at a distance, whittling him down and chipping away at his surface until it's a mangled mess of blood and feathers, then I move closer. Our combat from then on is fairly even, despite Bean's injuries. Bean is physically stronger than I am, but I can go on for longer. He's a sprint and I'm a marathon. He settles for punches, and lands more on my face than I can count. I can feel the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and my vision begins to cloud, but the second Bean loses his streak, I pin him on the floor and make a break for his neck. One slice. One vein. And I win. But I don't make it. I'm thrown off the side of the podium by an explosion, and reach out for the suspension bars before I fall to my doom.

I hang for a few seconds, trying to figure out what just happened, then remember that I don't have time to think.

Scrambling around the underside of the podium via the bars and metal wires, I dedicate every last joule of energy in my body to invisibility, but the pain in my face distracts me, and makes for a blotchy outcome. I show myself on the opposite side to where Bean stands, and stare at the next bomb, that he's tossing up and down in his hand.

I should have known he was going to cheat.

"Get ready to die, motherfucker," he taunts, blood dripping off his beak, and he launches the explosive at me. I watch it accelerate and, instinctively, I catch it.

I caught it?

Thinking quickly, I throw it right back at him. I flatten myself on the floor and brace myself for the explosion. Then it happens, and all I hear before the impact is a strangled woodpecker scream. Nails and screws and pieces of metal bury themselves in my skin, and my ability to hear is reduced to nothing but a high-pitched, deafening squeal.

I remain on the ground, breathing heavily, tasting and smelling the blood and sweat that were unleashed upon the battlefield. I attempt to look up, and fail. The combination of pain and exhaustion and the ringing in my ears is too much for my conscious to handle, and my vision goes black.

**\--Vector POV--**

I clutch Charmy to my chest as I watch Espio fight. Charmy's scared. He don't wanna watch, so I ain't gonna make 'im. I tear my eyes away from the deathmatch and look at 'im. He's got his hands pinned over his ears, cryin' his poor little eyes out and buryin' 'is head into my shoulder. I glare at my dad, an' he just looks away. All of this is 'is fault.

Then I hear an explosion, and instinctively move my hands to my ears, almost dropping Charmy. I look up just in time to see Espio flying over the side of the podium, and reaching out to grab the edge last minute.

"VECTOR! WHAT'S HAPPENING?" Charmy shouts.

"Ehh, don' worry, Charm. I-I got ya. Espio's okay. I think."

I watch Espio hang from the side of the podium one-handed, an' breathin' heavily. I don't wanna watch this no more. That motherfucker of a bird's cheatin' and I ain't havin' it.

"Lacer, take Charm, will ya? I'm outta here."

I leave Charmy with Lacer, and put up my middle finger at my dad before goin' back inside. He ain't seein' it, but I don't give a shit anymore. If Es can beat that dirty ol' cheater, I'll eat mah motherfuckin' shoe. It's fuckin' 'opeless. I'm just about to pull the door open when I stop myself. As much as I don' wanna watch, I've gotta look an' see if Espio's still alive. I turn around and watch 'im stagger onto his feet at the edge of the podium, and then look at Bean on the other side chuckin' a bomb around in 'is 'ands. An' then 'e throws it.

An' Es fuckin' catches it.

"NO! ESPIO WHAT DA FUCKIN' 'ELL ARE YA DOIN?" Dad shouts.

Espio looks at the tickin' bomb in 'is hands, showin' no emotion, an' glances at Bean, before throwin' it back. Bits of metal fly out everywhere when it explodes, and Bean is sent soarin' over the side of the podium, an' is impaled by the spikes on the ground.

There's silence in the spectator area, as everyone but Charmy watches the mangled bird corpse slowly slidin' down the spike, lubricated by the blood pourin' out of it's stomach. I can't believe my eyes. Espio's gone an' fuckin' won.

We're all taken inside and the medical team rush outside to get Espio. I flop onto a bench and try to process everythin' that just 'appened, but when I try to lay my head down onto the bench, my headphones hit somethin'. Espio's cellphone. I could look at it. He's gonna be gone for a while and, I mean, his pass code's just his birthday, but wouldn' he hate me? I guess not. If he don't know I've been on it then how could he? It's somethin' to do. Somethin' to convince me that he's definitely 'ere an' I ain't dreamin'.

_3... 6... 9... 2... Go._

As soon as I get onto 'is phone, the screen fills with notifications. Six missed calls, and one unfinished voice message. Unfinished? I click on the message, just outta curiosity, and pick up where Es left off.

"...that I... I really want you to win this thing, Es. I'll be rooting for you back at home. Just... just try to win, please? I... I hope to see you soon."

I turn off the phone and lay it back down on the bench. Why the hell did I just do that? That's Espio's personal phone! I... I can't just leave it now an' not tell 'im I listened to the end of Mighty's message. It had to be Mighty, right? I mean, that's 'is voice. I think. He were cryin' too much. I figured he'd do somethin' like this after I told 'im 'bout today, but I weren't expectin' six missed calls an' a voicemail. God, 'e must be so worried. I oughta tell 'im. I pull my own phone from my pocket an' text Mighty sayin' that Es is all okay. I ain't givin' 'im the details unless he wants 'em. I get no reply, an' sit an' wait for Es to come outta the medical. I begin to get extremely bored, my mind racin' a little less, and by the time 'alf an hour's gone by I start dozin' off, until I'm startled awake again by someone openin' the door.


	31. Chapter 31

**\--Espio POV--**

Everything is numb. I can't feel a thing.

I slowly peel my eyes open, and slam them shut again in response to the bright lights in the room. I attempt to sit up, but the world starts to spin so fast that I have to clutch the sheets to stop myself from falling out of the bed.

_Wait, bed?_

I prop myself up with the pillow and look around me. Is this death? Is this where I've ended up? I look at my body, analyze the bruises and run my hands over the new stitches, but I still can't feel anything. I then turn to my surroundings. There's not a whole lot to see, just me in a bed with a table next to me and a load of cupboards in the corner. A small, yellow piece of paper stuck to the table catches my eye. I fight my dizziness and reach to my left for the paper. It takes two attempts to grab it. The note is written in Japanese, and I do my best to translate it, and fill in the gaps where I don't know the right word.

* * *

_Mr. Vaso, you have won the deathmatch. You fell unconscious after the fight so the medical team brought you here to recover. They put artificial ears in your head for you, seeing as your old ones got blown up by the bombs, and they've dug out all the metal from your flesh and given you stitches, so go steady. If you can't feel anything, it's because they put as much morphine in you as they legally could. When you wake up, you can go home. But you must take it easy, because Bean made a mess of you. You did a good job out there. Using an illegal weapon against the wielder is something that I myself wouldn't have thought to do. I'm proud of you._

_\- Pachacamac_

* * *

I know I can leave, but I'm not sure I want to. I think if I tried to stand I'd fall right back down again, and possibly pull out a few stitches in the process. So instead I decide to test these new ears. I flick the paper a few times and the sound it makes sounds no different to how it would have sounded before. I spend the next twenty minutes listening to all of the random noises that I didn't even know existed. All these beautiful sounds that I always took for granted could have been lost in a matter of minutes. It's somewhat relaxing. I close my eyes and listen to the soft whirring of what I can only assume to be the heating unit, and counting how many cars go over the grate outside the training center. Then I hear angry voices coming from outside. I sit up, with ease this time, and decide that I'm strong enough to investigate, even if I am still numb all over. I space-walk to the door, open it slightly, and poke my head around the frame.

"How on EARTH could you allow this to happen?"

"Please, Mr. Kukku-"

"No, no, he's got a point. How could you allow this fight to go ahead when there's a... a literal _terrorist_ on the podium with my son?"

"My son is _not_ a terrorist!"

"He might as well be."

"Please, Mr. Kukku, Mr. Vaso, hear me out, please. This deathmatch has been a tradition since 1856! I didn't know that Bean would bring explosives out onto the podium-"

"And a bloody outrageous tradition at that. Could you not have searched him?"

"I had no reason to!"

"You... You had no reason to?"

"Mr. Kukku..."

"Don't you DARE try to explain your way out of this one, Mr. Pachacamac. Mr. Vaso and I could quite easily take this to court."

"I've had many empty threats like that one before. They do not faze me anymore."

"Empty threats, eh? How about the GUN? What if I get them on this? They have the capacity to dedicate an entire floor of their practice to making your life unlivable."

"Please, Mr. Kukku-"

"So you'd better get yourself a decent lawyer and fast, you stupid echidna, before every single member of your clan ends up inside! Come on, Chameleon. Let's get the hell out of here. Leave that bloodthirsty, scheming echidna to rot on his own."

I watch Father follow hesitantly after Mr. Kukku, walking out of the meeting room and into the hallway. I slip out of the medical room and slowly follow them, trying to time everything perfectly so nobody suspects that I listened. I take a quick glance into the meeting room as I pass, and see my Sensei sat at his desk with his eyes closed, and his head in his hands. Continuing on, I hear more voices echoing from the entrance, and I recognize all but one.

"So you actually decided show up, then?" Father asks, bitterly.

"I should have been here hours ago!" Protests a female voice. "I was delayed-"

"Yeah, whatever. Good job he's alive, innit?"

"Lacer, please, you're not understanding." As I listen, I begin to hear hints of a Robotropolian accent mixed in with the strong Yurashian one.

_Could that be..._

"You probably just didn't care, did you? Ran off to your own little places like you always did. You never learnt anything-"

"Lacer, please! Just listen to me!"

_No. I can't let them argue. I know that voice._

I push the door open and step into the building's entrance. Everyone is immediately silenced when I walk in. I'm half expecting Vector or Charmy or Knuckles to say something, but none do. I look to the other bench, occupied by Father, looking at his feet and obviously sulking, and stood next to him is the woman I least expected to see here. I can't help but grin.

"Espio... my son... It's been too long," my mother says, shakily, walking over to me and placing her hands on my shoulders. "My... you really have grown since I last saw you."

"I... can't say I've noticed," I answer. She pulls me into a gentle hug, being mindful of my injuries, and both of us try desperately to keep it together.

_I can't believe it... she actually came..._

"You wouldn't believe how much trouble I had getting here," she starts. "First they wouldn't accept my passport, then the plane had a flat tire, then there were sheep on the runway so we couldn't land and had to circle for another hour. I was so worried!"

"It's okay," I reassure. "I'm okay."

We just stand there for a while. I don't really think about anything, just enjoy the fact that Mother did actually come here and that she really does care.

"I think we'd betteh go 'ome, now," Raster announces, his words forcing us to break the hug. "Come on. Go get in da car. I'll drive dis time."


	32. Chapter 32

**\--Elise POV--**

"Uh ma'am? Uh ma'am? Ma'am? Ma'am-"

"I've been told how to think about the ocean when I'm stressed, and I'm looking at that, and I'm real stressed."

"Ma'am, you're the regent!"

I sift through the various reports, analyse the graphs, statistic after statistic, and nothing's getting any better. Attack threats have been skyrocketing since October 22nd and there's nothing anyone can do about it. I stand up and walk to the door, leaving my desk buried in the paper mountain.

It's too dangerous to be here. With the Flames of Hope sealed inside of me, all it takes is a tiny bit too much stress, one more attack, one more stressed-out crying session, and all of a sudden those Flames of Hope turn into the Flames of Disaster. I need to do everything I can to protect this world, and if I have to leave my land in order to do that, then I will.

"I'm just gonna go meditate. I'mma think of the ocean... Bye guys. I'm peacin' out. I'll let you deal with this."

"Ma'am you're the ruler of this kingdom! You have to act!"

I ignore the panicked cries of my advisors and push the doors open, leaving them in the office. I am going to act. Just not in the way that everyone would expect me to.

I've been thinking a lot over the past weeks. About the situation that Soleanna is in. The amount of revolts we've had since the terrorism has been ridiculous. People are attacking each other almost every day, and yet nobody seems to care. The media is useless. They have been for years. I'm only one person. I can't solve this on my own. If I were to solve this, I'd need the media's help, and they don't listen. Other times, more often than not when I think, I have visions of the ocean in my mind. That's what my dad always told me to do whenever I was stressed. And it works. I've established that when I don't wanna be somewhere, that's what I think about.

I walk down the palace corridors, passing various cabinets of maximum security, until I reach my first destination. A steel safe, within another steel safe. Each with a different code that only I know. And within them both lies the thing that everyone wants, and everybody now knows that I have. A Chaos emerald.

The emerald glows with the same colour as the ocean as I pull it put of the inner safe. The chaos energy radiates from the gem's core, warming my hands and flowing through my veins. I can't keep this. Everyone will be after me for as long as this emerald is in my possession. I slot it loosely into my dress pocket, and leave the castle through the nearest exit, which takes me out onto the back roads. I walk past the various groups of people in broad daylight, no longer caring if I get mugged for the Chaos emerald, because I have a mission. A mission that, if it goes well, will secure the safety of this world.

As I near the ocean, I decide what I am going to do with the emerald in my pocket. I could keep it in my pocket, but then people would find it. I could bury it, but I don't have the means to do so. I could just chuck it into the ocean and hope that the waves take it away to a safe place, which is the disposal method I eventually settle on. I stand on the harbor wall, leaning as far over as I can, and Frisbee the emerald into the water, and watch sink. For as long as I am alive, and the flames are within me, a defence mechanism is necessary. Once I'm done with my mission, the blue Chaos emerald will no longer have a purpose, other than to go where its colour says it belongs.

I sit on the harbor wall and remove a small notebook from my other pocket, with a note I prepared earlier, explaining the severity of the situation and my reasons for acting how I will, and place it gently on the wall next to me, with a rock on top so it can't blow away. I then position myself on top of the wall, staring into the ocean, knowing that that's where I'm meant to be. Because if I had to choose between the Kingdom of Soleanna and the world, I would choose the world.

**\--Shadow POV--**

I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling with the radio playing my own personal compilation. A compilation that I've listened to so many times that I could name every single track on it in the correct order, and if somebody asked me what track number a particular song was, I'd be able to tell them instantly. Unfortunately, it's not a very useful skill, seeing as this is my compilation and mine only, and it's most likely the only combination of tracks that exists in the entire world. I quietly sing the lyrics to the current song to myself.

"I see no, hear no evil,  
Black writing on the wall,  
Unleashed a million faces,  
And one by one they fall-"

"Some breaking news just in!"

"Oh for FUCK'S sake!"

This is the only problem with playing your compilations on a digital radio. The media has the power to override any music you're playing for important news, half of which isn't even that important. I frustratedly turn over on my bed to face the radio, and listen to the news.

"Some breaking news just in - Princess Elise of Soleanna has committed suicide. A note has been found on the harbor wall by a local fisherman, who our interviewer is with right now."

"Thank you. I'm here with Big the Cat. Big, what were your thoughts when you first found this note?"

"Well... it wasn't me who found it... my pet Froggy took me to it and I read it... and um... I'm confused."

"Well I must admit it's not the clearest of notes. Back to the newsroom, what are your thoughts on this?"

"Well I think we should read out the contents of the note first. Ahem... 'To my beautiful Kingdom of Soleanna, this is Princess Elise writing to you. Chances are, if you have found this note, I'm already at the bottom of the ocean. I have decided that suicide is my only option for protecting the world. Many of you are aware of the Flames of Hope being sealed within me after the disaster ten years ago. As my father, the Duke of Soleanna, was dying, he told me to never cry, to be a strong queen who doesn't cry, no matter what happens. Because if I cry, the flames will be released with the same force as they were in the lab, and burn the entire world. For as long as I have these flames within me, I am not safe. Lately, attack threats have been going through the roof, and so have my stress levels. That is why I believe that the only way to protect the world is to break the seal in the ocean, where I am surrounded by water and the flames will be put out in an instant. You are all safe now.' Wow. Now that is some suicide note. Well, my thoughts, um... I'm not sure I have any, to be honest. Princess Elise has been criticized by her people many times over the last two months for her supposed lack of action, but this is beyond ridiculous. Are we sure this wasn't just a scare?"

"Positive. In fact, the search teams have just retrieved the princess's... highly scorched body from the water as you were speaking."

I'm suddenly thankful that I caught this news on the radio and not on the TV, because if this were on the TV I'm sure we'd be getting close-ups of this "highly scorched body" on-screen right now, and I'm not sure I'm prepared to see that at nine o'clock on a Monday morning. I return to my playlist and block out the disturbing visuals with the music. It's not that I'm squeamish or anything. In fact, I practically live on Blueit Fifty Fifty. It's just too early for this.


	33. Chapter 33

**\--Silver POV--**

With the Christmas holidays over, today marks the second term of Green Hill Academy that I've attended. The first went pretty well, I'd say. Everybody's mostly nice to me, nothing crazy has happened, and I'm managing to keep my past a secret. I take my suitcase across the grounds with a little more confidence than I did last time, paying more attention to everyone around me than the direction I'm travelling in. I've walked this route so many times now that dodging people and objects is more like an automatic response than a conscious one.

I keep hearing various parts of conversations about Soleanna, but the details are unclear. It's like reading the first pages of twelve different books and trying to make a story out of it. I don't get any details until I arrive in the dorm, and catch the computer screen out of the corner of my eye. I quietly watch Shadow start scrolling through a news site, and quickly avert my eyes when a group of particularly gruesome photographs come on the screen. I look back after a few seconds and cringe as Shadow clicks on one to enlarge it, and wonder how he can possibly not be disturbed by the graphic image. It's disgusting. A limp, charcoal-like corpse, dripping bloodstained water, suspended by two yellow bands that are attached so some sort of machine, and the only other things that are even remotely recognizable in the picture are a burnt white dress and red hair.

_White dress... red hair..._

I hover about half an inch off the ground and come behind Shadow silently, as I'm pretty sure he doesn't know I'm here, and take a closer look at the headline of the article.

"Suicide of Soleannan Princess - Published: 1 day ago"

This must be what everyone was talking about. Princess, white dress, red hair... this could only be Princess Elise.

And she didn't commit suicide in the alternate future.

"Oh god..." I accidentally think aloud. "What have I done..."

"Huh?" Shadow asks, spinning around on the swivel chair to face me. I dip my toes on the floor so he doesn't notice me hovering, and quickly shake my head.

"Nothing. It's nothing."

"I'd rather that you didn't look over my shoulder at the monitor whilst I'm using it."

"Yeah I know, I'm sorry."

I prop my suitcase up against my bed and exit the dorm as fast as I can. How stupid can I get? I come here, think everything's going to be okay, leave a flipping _chaos emerald_ in a goddamn _fountain_ and _still_ think everything's going to be okay, more than likely indirectly cause Princess Elise's suicide by doing so, and then almost tell Shadow about it, of all people? I speed-walk outside and take refuge behind the dorm block where nobody can see me, and break down crying whilst leaning against the wall.

_You're an idiot. A stupid, stupid idiot._

"I know..."

_You're a naive son of a bitch who only ever thinks about himself. You're selfish-_

"I know..."

_-and all you ever do is fuck things up. You are the definition of a fuck-up. Blaze would not be proud._

"I KNOW!"

"Know what, Silver?"

Breathing hard, I take a quick glance to my left, and though my vision is blurred by my tears, I still make out the general shape of a blue hedgehog leaning around the wall.

"Dude, are you okay?" Sonic asks. I just turn away. "I- I saw you coming round here and wondered what was up, you okay, Sil? Are you... oh god you're crying-"

He places his hand on my shoulder and tries to get me to face him. I throw him off.

"Go away."

"...What?"

"I said go away. Don't try to help me. There's nothing you can do except for to go away."

He listens, and walks away from me. I hear his footsteps get gradually quieter as he gets further away, and I get progressively sadder. I really am alone here. This is my mess and my mess only, and nobody would understand that if I told them because nobody knows who I truly am. I'm a lonely time traveller, alone in this world that I've created. And now I can't get out.

I want to go home.

**\--Espio POV--**

Back at the hell-hole once again. How long has it been now, three and a bit years? And it's only just occurred to me that I could quite easily get out of 4D without even having to try? I know sleeping in the same room as Scourge for most of the school year takes a toll on my braincells but this is just ridiculous. How come I never thought of this before?

I decide to confirm my theories by asking Sonic, who I find walking out from behind the dorm block.

"Sonic, may I ask a question?"

"Uhh, yeah Espio, what's up?"

"Is Manic still filing in loads of those official dorm swap application things? I forget what they're called..."

"You mean the Room Change requests? Yep, he's _still_ doing them, and he's _still_ getting nowhere. I think he's filling out the seventh one as we speak. Why'd you ask?"

"Oh, no reason."

I smile to myself and jog up the stairs to the fourth floor of the dorm block, with Sonic close behind me, probably going to his own dorm, and the smile turns into a grin, knowing that Knuckles and Vector are going to hate me for this, but really, they know nothing about my situation. They've always been out of the firing line. I pass Manic in the hub, frantically filling out some of the Room Change requests, and decide to take a quick detour behind him and swipe a blank one off the pile without him knowing. Pulling a pen out of my pocket, I begin thinking about precisely what to write. I fill in the required fields, name, gender, birthday, current dorm, and desired dorm, then pause over the lines at the bottom. I didn't realize I'd have to explain myself. I can't exactly write that I don't like Scourge because he's a disgusting faggot and just leave it at that, can I? Maybe if I wrote it a little nicer it might work. I rest the paper on the wall and start spilling the rant out onto the paper.

* * *

_Name: Espio Vaso_

_Gender: Male_

_Date of birth (MM/DD/YY): 03/06/92_

_Current dorm: 4D_

_Desired dorm: 4B_

_Reason(s) for moving to desired dorm:_

_Sleeping is a hazard. It's impossible to survive for a week in 4D without either getting urinated on by Scourge, being used as a trash can by Manic, or not being able to have an opinion on anything that happens in the dorm because according to Scourge I'm just a "silly, feeble-minded little gay". My refuge is the shower and I can't hide in there forever. And here I am, doing Manic a favour by offering to swap places with him. It's a win-win situation. He gets to stay with a friend, and I might actually get some sleep. Just consider it, please, because I feel like Scourge is going to drive me insane if I stay in 4D any longer. I'm not kidding._

* * *

"Hey Es, whaddaya doin'?"

I'm startled by Vector coming up behind me.

"I'm filling in a Room Change request," I reply slowly, and wary of his reaction.

"...What? Why? What, are yeh just gonna leave us in dere wiv Scourge?"

"You try being gay and sleeping on the bottom bunk across from a piss-obsessed homophobe. You've never tried it, therefore, you don't know the pain that comes with it. I'm going to try and swap with Manic."

"MANIC?" he shouts, loud enough for said hedgehog to hear.

"Yeah Vector?" Manic shouts from the hub. "What's up?"

"EHH... NUFFIN, YA JUST DO WHATEVEH YA WAS DOIN'... ehheh... argh, Espio, why would ya do this ter us? What are yeh, crazy?"

"Like I said, you don't know the pain."

"Awh, fair enuff, but if Manic an' Scourge start goin' stupid, I'm blamin' yeh," he scolds, and walks into the dorm, shouting for Knuckles as he closes the door. I don't hear their conversation, but I can assume that I won't need to tell Knuckles about this myself.

I press the paper against the wall and neatly fold it into quarters, before walking a little way down the corridor towards 4B. My plan's success depends solely on whether or not Sonic, Silver and Shadow are willing to have me in there with them. I quietly knock on the door, wait for an answer, and Shadow slowly opens the door.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, in a semi-aggressive tone.

"Well I was wondering if I could talk to all you guys about-"

"Manic and Silver are out," Shadow states, sharply.

I think for a second, before coming to the conclusion that they might not need to know about this anyway.

"That's fine, I'll just tell you and Sonic so you can let Silver know next time you see him."

"What about Manic?" Shadow questions.

"Yeah... about him... I know you guys don't really... 'see eye-to-eye', as it were... and I've been having a nightmare with Scourge in 4D so... I decided to try to end all of this and see if I can get Robotnik to let Manic and I swap places."

"Wait so... you're gonna end up in here and Manic's gonna be sleeping in 4D all the time?"

"If things go to plan, yes. I mean, if that's okay with you, I don't want to be any trouble-"

"One hundred percent fine by me. If it gets rid of Manic, it's fine by me," Shadow says, the turning behind him. "What about you, Sonic?"

"I mean... I guess it wouldn't hurt," he agrees.

"Okay, well I'll go drop this off at Student Services then," I announce, leaving the dorm and heading back downstairs, grinning and silently praying that everything does indeed go to plan.


	34. Chapter 34

**\--Shadow POV--**

"Alright, _maggots_ , line up in your groups! We're gonna be sorting some of you lot into new groups today, based on your performance over the last term. Nobody cares if you're sad that you've got no friends in the group we've put you in. This is based on skill _only_."

I reluctantly join the back of the mixed line. I've been in the mixed PE group since Year 7. PE just isn't my thing. Being in the mixed group is the equivalent of being a mere peasant in the Middle-Ages society, but I'd rather be here than getting basketballs to the head in the boys only group. Somehow, Rouge has been able to stay in the all girls group for three terms in a row, no matter how uncooperative she is in there. She's always getting sent out into this group. I've decided that the groups aren't based on skill, and instead are based on how much the teachers hate you.

"Okay, shut up and listen up! We're starting with the mixed group. If I call out your name, go to the mixed line. Now lemme see... ah. Only one maggot to shift this time. Rouge! Get over there!"

Rouge looks at me, shocked, before shuffling over to the line and standing behind me.

"Don't you look so surprised!" the teacher shouts. "You've been playing up every single goddamn lesson!"

"Why are you so rude?" Rouge asks, sarcastically.

"Why are _you_ so goddamn pale?"

Silence.

"Now you shut up, Bat! Right, now for the boys' group, again, only one person to move. Shadow, you go to that line."

Rouge and I share confused glances, and I quickly head to the boys' line and stand behind Sonic.

"Shadow, I hear you've been improving lately. I thought you might deserve a promotion."

"You call this a promotion?" I whisper, to nobody in particular.

I catch Rouge giving the teacher the middle finger while he's not looking, then folding her arms and staring at her feet. I expect she'll be ranting about him at lunch later.

"Right, maggots, that's it for the moving. You boy scum can come with me to the gym. The rest of you, go find your teachers."

The boys follow the PE teacher across the grounds to the Performance block. My theory is that they built the gym in Performance because they didn't want to ruin the symmetry in the sports hall.

"Never had you down as the sort of guy who'd be good at PE, Shad," Sonic taunts.

"Neither did I, but here I am."

The winter sun beams down onto the concrete and makes the frost on the ground sparkle like silver glitter. And it's cold. Bitterly cold. I rub my arms in response to the low temperatures and biting winds in an attempt to reduce the discomfort. How any animal can survive outside like this, I have no idea. I look around me, and I'm surprised to find that the only other people in the group who appear to be cold are Vector and Espio. Maybe I'm part reptile, as well as an artificial hedgehog. That would make me a reptilian hedgehog cyborg-type-thing infused with chaos energy and emo.

_For heaven's sake, Shadow, how many identity crises do you need?_

Sonic holds the door open for me going into Performance, and the rush of warm air immediately soothes the frostbite. I turn my face up to the vents and enjoy it while it lasts. The gym is a little colder than the rest of the block, which I guess is expected. It's gonna have air-con in it. The teacher tells us all to sit on the mats in the middle of the room. I've never been here before. The gym was always reserved for Exam PE and the top groups, so mixed PE never actually got to see the inside of this place.

It's smaller than I thought it would be. The apparatus are arranged in such a way that all space is used up completely, and the mechanics of the machines are dangerously close to colliding, but still skim past each other like stunt planes in an air show. That being said, there's only room for three of everything: three treadmills, three rowers, three cross-trainers and three bikes, and there's a lot more than twelve of us in here.

"Right, maggots, we're gonna be doing a distance challenge today. For those of you who aren't on a machine, ten minutes of workout equals one mile. Those of you who are on a machine, use your brains and read the displays. We'll total up at the end. The target between all of us is three hundred miles. Get going."

"Three hundred miles?" Espio says in disbelief.

"Looks like we're just gonna 'ave teh get on a bike an' pedal like there's no tomorreh, eh?" Vector replies.

I claim a bike next to Vector before anyone else can. I attempt to ignore the anxiety of having to do PE with a load of people I've never done it with before. PE's bad enough as it is, without being the new guy.

"Shad, dat bike's got 'andles for a reason, ya know," Vector says. I reluctantly unfold my arms and hold on to the handles. It's not like I have to steer, and I prefer to keep my arms folded, but Vector has a point. I unconsciously try to re-fold my arms to stop myself from feeling so exposed, but I grip the rubber handles with all of the force I can manage to combat it. I try to forget everything, ignore my surroundings, and just pedal.

**\--Manic POV--**

I stare into the sky and watch the clouds whilst frantically trying to recall all of the sub-battles in the Great War in order of occurrence, and continue to fail over and over. Professor Antoine says I don't try in the History exams. I do try, I'm just not good enough. I'm never good enough. I was told when I was a kid that stealing would be my only income. That's how little people believe in me. Annual Game Night is the only thing I'm good at, and that's not coming back for another year. I give up on History revision and decide to just enjoy my hour and relax. I should be in PE, but do I care? No, not at all. I stuff my History book back into my bag and lean against the fence. You know, maybe things aren't so bad. I'm here, I got the nice Green Hill breeze. Just alone with my thoughts. I don't need PE. I'm skinny enough as it is.

"Manic. You should be in lesson."

I tear my eyes from the sky and squint at the bulbous figure in front of me.

"Oh god, What do you want from me this time, Robotnik?" I groan, shielding my eyes from the reflections on the ground with my hand.

"I was going to go to your lesson to pick up you and Espio for a... conversation. But seeing as you're here, you can go and get him and I'll be waiting in my office for both of you," he grins.

I stare at him blankly, evaluating the situation. Why would he want to talk to me _and_ Espio at the same time? I don't think I've ever had much interaction with the guy other than via Scourge. And if I show up in PE now, I'm done for.

"Alright, I'll go," I say, curiosity getting the better of me, and getting up from the floor and shuffling over to the Performance block, and when I arrive, I find the PE teacher stood outside the entrance taking a long, hard drag on his vaper, blowing smoke rings into the air.

_Maybe I won't get into as much trouble as I thought..._

I quietly sneak past him, trying to avoid getting second-hand smoke inebriated by the clouds billowing from his inhumanely large nostrils, and slide into the Performance block and into the gym.

"Hey Bro, where've ya been?" Sonic shouts, cheerfully jogging on a treadmill.

"None of your business," I fire back, then I turn to Espio. "Robotnik wants to talk to us."

He slows down slightly on the bike, lightly panting. "Right now?"

"Yes. Now."

He follows me out through the back exit of performance and we loop around to the Social block in silence. What could Robotnik possibly need us for? As far as I'm aware, I haven't done anything wrong, and Espio's the last person I'd expect to be in trouble. Or maybe we're not in trouble? We find Robotnik's office with the door open, and the occupant sat behind his desk with two small sheets of paper set out in front of him.

"Ohoho, Manic Felgate, so, how many negative points did you receive for skipping half of PE?" Robotnik asks, flashing an evil grin.

"None," I answer sarcastically, "because that stupid teacher, who you _still_ haven't fired yet, was drowning in his own vape too much to notice that I actually showed up."

"Is that why we went round the ba-"

"So," Robotnik cuts off, "I have received some interesting papers from you two. You may be familiar with these," he says, holding up the two papers. When I look closely, I recognize what they are. He continues, "Today is your lucky day, fellas. Ms. Vanilla and I have looked through your Room Change requests and everything looks in order. You can swap. But I do have a question for you, Espio."

Espio looks at me, and then back to Robotnik. "What is is, sir?"

"Let me just... ahem..." He holds the paper close to his face and begins to read out some of Espio's reasoning. "It's impossible to survive for a week in 4D without either getting urinated on by Scourge, being used as a trash can by Manic, or not being able to have an opinion on anything that happens in the dorm because according to Scourge I'm just a "silly, feeble-minded little gay"... What is the meaning behind this, Mr. Vaso?"

"I... don't really want to talk about it," he replies. I look at him in shock.

"You... You actually did this?" I ask.

"I should have done this a long time ago," he replies, avoiding eye contact with me and Robotnik.

"Well, you boys can sort this out among yourselves later. Now how about you go back to your PE lesson, huh?" Robotnik says, directing the last part at me.

"Yes sir," Espio and I reply simultaneously, and we get out of the office before Robotnik can embarrass anyone else. I find myself feeling a little bad for Espio. It's not like I want to pick on him, because I don't. I just... want to fit in. I'm friends with Scourge, Nack and Fiona now. I need to be like them if I want to earn their respect. And if bullying Espio and whoever else Scourge wants to bully is the way to do that, then I'll do it too.

Espio and I part ways just outside of Social, and I stop him before he goes.

"Espio?" I ask, not really knowing what to say.

"Yes, Manic?"

"...Thank you for getting me out of 4B."

He pauses, looking into my eyes, probably wondering what's gotten into me, before answering, "No problem."


	35. Chapter 35

**\--Tails POV--**

"Hey Buddy, why are you looking so down?"

I turn to look at Sonic, and shake my head. "You wouldn't understand."

"I can try. Come on, tell me. I might actually be able to help!"

I stare at the blank pages in my English book and carefully place down my pen. English is probably the only lesson I just can't get the hang of. Math is fine. Science is fine. Engineering is fine. Computer Science is fine. But English? English is anything but fine. Taken straight out of the hell dimension. I decide that ranting to Sonic about my problems would take my mind off the lesson for a while.

"I just don't want to be here, Sonic," I start.

"You mean in English?"

"No... well yes, but... I don't know. I don't belong here. I know I'm smart but that doesn't mean I have to be moved up countless grades and study with people almost twice my age! Why can't I just do things at the same pace as everyone else? Why do I have to do this now?"

"I... I don't know, Tails. I know it's not fair on you but I guess that's just how it is."

We continue with our English. It's a creative writing thing. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I look across to the other end of the table and watch Amy happily scribbling down ideas and plots onto her mind-map and wonder how the hell anyone could possibly enjoy this. I don't see the point in fiction. You'd do much better in life if you knew the facts. If this was a biography task then I'd be fine.

Twenty minutes later and I'm still stuck in the endless loop of "this might be a good idea" and "no, no, that's actually a really stupid idea", and all I have to show for it at the end of the lesson is a page full of crossing-out. I hide my book from Omochao as he flies around the classroom, and slot it in at the bottom of the pile when he's not looking. He knows I'm bad at this lesson, but he at least expects me to try.

The bell rings, and I venture out into the corridors of the Communication block, only to be stopped by the last people I'd want to see.

"Sup, nerd?" Scourge taunts, whilst he, Nack, Manic, and Fiona corner me.

"What's the matter, my fellow foxy friend?" Fiona coos, prodding my nose. "You scared?"

I refuse to shrink into the corner, and stand tall. I will not be scared by these jerks.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, now let me get the fuck out," I say confidently, but almost immediately regret it when Manic lunges for the bookshelf behind him.

"No, Manic," Nack shouts, then continues calmly. "Put the dictionary down. That's been done. Thousands of times." He pushes Manic away from the shelf, and pulls out a Thesaurus, smirking to himself. "If we're gonna pummel this freak with books, we've gotta get creative. Let's see... _freak_..."

My heartbeat quickens as I prepare myself for attack. I'm pinned in the corner by Fiona whilst the others search through the thesaurus looking for some more obnoxious things to call me. I brace myself as the books begin to fly towards me.

"Aberration!"

"Anomaly!"

"Geek!"

"Monster!"

"Mutant!"

"Weirdo!"

"Abomina- huh?"

I dare to open my eyes when the books stop coming, and stare at the scene in front of me with extreme confusion. The books glow a light blue, and hover in mid-air for a few seconds, before being launched backwards into Manic, Scourge and Nack's heads. Fiona lets go of me for a split-second, and I take my chance to sprint away from the chaos as fast as I can.

**\--Shadow POV--**

I watch Tails sprint away in complete shock. Usually, either Knuckles or Rouge would step in between something like this, but they're long gone, probably stuffing their faces with chicken wrap, and a certain hedgehog seems to have this handled anyway. I peek around the door of the English classroom and watch Silver do some strange things to the books in the air, whilst hiding behind the community printer. I don't think he knows I'm still here. I'm drawn to the blue glow possessed by both Silver and the books, and wrack my brains as to what this could possible be. It's nothing like any power I've ever witnessed before. It looks almost... futuristic.

Suddenly, he turns around and sees me watching him, and we both freeze. The books fall out of the air and the blue glow goes away. Silver looks at me with an expression of pure panic on his face, and then sprints out of the back exit before anyone can see that he was here. I look up at the others. They were too busy screaming and slapping the books off their faces to notice Silver's escape.

I slide out of the English classroom and make a break for the exit, but I'm stopped by Scourge.

"Where do you think you're going, punk?" he sneers, grabbing my shoulder. "That was you, wasn't it?"

"What? No, what do you mean?"

"What do I mean? WHAT DO I MEAN? You stupid, cocky, emo hedgehog, of course you know what the fuck I mean!" he exclaims, leaning dangerously close to my face. I feel rage begin to build up inside of me with every one of his angered breaths that land on my cheek, but I force myself to remain calm.

"L-let me explain-"

"Of course it was Shadow," Manic interrupts. "That dickhead hates me."

I begin to lose control of myself, and stride towards Manic and yell, "Listen here you little shit-"

"No. I talk first. Listen. You're gonna try and do some shiny shit? Slap our faces in with those things? I know what you're capable of, mister Ultimate Life Form."

"You shut the fuck up right now-"

"I'm not done talking to you!"

"You heard the test-tube kid, Manic, leave the guy alone," Scourge cuts off. "Don't wanna start a fight now, do we?"

"Test-tube kid?" I repeat.

"Test-tube kid indeed," Scourge taunts. "And the only family you've got are those Robotnik scumbags and even they don't want you."

I find myself unable to control my emotions for any longer. "Oh yeah? Well at least I wasn't a failed abortion!"

There's silence for a second, and then I find myself narrowly dodging a punch from Scourge, only to land on Nack, who immediately puts me in a headlock. I resort to using brute strength to get myself out of it, and fail miserably. I make a break for the inhibitor rings on my wrists, but I'm stopped by Fiona. The scramble, hopelessly outnumbered on my end, continues for a few more agonizing seconds until I hear a familiar voice call my name, and the five of us are shoved apart.

I slowly open my eyes, and see a familiar figure holding me against the printer.

"Y'alright, Shadow?" he asks.

"Yes, Knuckles, I'm fine," I answer bitterly, frustrated that I couldn't get out of this on my own.

"Tails sent us," Rouge shouts from the other end of the corridor through gritted teeth, concentrating on the writhing weasel in her arms. "I figured you might still be here. Come on."

Knuckles, Rouge and I leave the block in silence. I don't thank them. I pride myself on my ability to fight, and when I'm beaten, I don't like to talk about it. I guess I was outnumbered four to one, but I'm the one with the superpowers here, and it was only my inhibitor rings and Fiona that were stopping me from using them. My heart pounds hard, seething for revenge, and it's all I can do not to run back in there and kick that goddamn fox in the head, but I stop myself. I tell myself that there's no point in getting angry. I have more important things to think about than those scoundrels.


	36. Chapter 36

**\--Silver POV--**

I run as fast as I can from the Communication block to the cafeteria, and when I finally arrive, I grab a free seat next to Sonic and desperately try to regain my breath, at the same time as trying not to cry again. With every choked gulp of air my lungs intake, my legs and my throat and my chest burn a little less.

"Jesus Christ, Silver, what happened?" Sonic asks, worriedly.

"I'm... fine..." I barely answer.

"You- you good? You need a drink?"

"No... No I'm fine..."

I didn't even run that far. It's not like I'm fat - I'm skinny as hell - but I'm too used to flying for this. That's just it. I'm so used to having Psychokinesis that I can't let it go. It's a part of me. It's who I am. I just wanted to help Tails. I could have done that in so many ways, and yet I chose make everything fly. And now Shadow knows.

"Hey guys..."

I remove my head from my hands and see Tails walking over to us with a pasta pot. I kick a chair out for him across from where I'm sat and he takes it, without another word.

"Okay, what's getting you down this time?" Sonic asks, half caring, half sarcastic.

"Oh, you know, the usual," Tails sighs. "Just got a load of books thrown at me. But then they all started floating... it was kinda weird. I was probably hallucinating."

"Yeah, maybe. Insomnia can do some strange stuff to your head, can't it?"

I breathe a sigh of relief, but to anyone else they probably wouldn't notice, and instead think I'm still drowning in my own lungs. At least Tails doesn't know. But then again, that could just mean he's one more person for Shadow to tell. Almost as if my thoughts are being read, Shadow enters the cafeteria and slumps down next to Tails with Rouge and Knuckles.

"Don't look so down, Shadow. It was four against one," Rouge says, before leaving to go to her friends on the other table. I try to think of what "four against one" could possibly mean. All I can assume is a fight.

"Four against one?" Sonic asks, saving me the trouble.

"Me against Scourge, Manic, Nack and Fiona," Shadow answers. "I ain't proud."

He looks up at me and scowls, then returns to staring at the table, and I realize exactly what I just did.

How many times can I mess up in one day? I don't see the point in even trying to keep on the down-low anymore. I run away, thinking that'll just, I don't know, erase Shadow's memory or something, probably then frame Shadow for the flying books, and then cause yet another fight? I'm _so_ stupid...

"Shadow," I blurt.

"Yes, Silver?"

I take a deep breath, and decide that if Shadow wants an explanation, then he can have it. There's no point in hiding from him anymore.

"Can I... talk to you for a sec?" I ask.

He sighs. "Why not. Let's get out of here."

We get up and leave the cafeteria, just walking around for a while. I take the silence as a chance to think about exactly how I'm going to say this.

"So are you gonna talk to me or what?" Shadow asks, mildly agitated, breaking he silence and my line of thought.

"I can... make things fly..." I start.

"I kind of already established that."

"Yeah I know, um... I'd prefer it if you didn't tell anyone. About what you saw. I'm trying to keep it a secret."

"Well I must say, you're doing a terrible job," he scoffs, laughing slightly. "You glow in your sleep."

"Shadow, please-"

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. This won't be brought up again. Actually, I'm gonna go back inside. It's cold out here."

I stop walking for a second, and watch Shadow go back inside, hands stuffed in his coat pockets and his hood up. That went way too well. There's no way he meant that. Or maybe he did, and I just underestimate him. I also go back inside, and watch him sit back with the others as if nothing ever happened. Like we never talked, like he never laughed, like he never even tried to understand, and wonder why I was so worried in the first place. If he can forget so easily, then I'll be okay.

**\--Sonic POV--**

"Tails, aren't Scourge and Nack and Fiona the ones who pick on you?" I ask, attempting to piece things together. "And Shadow fought them right after?"

"I don't know about Shadow, I ran right after the books flew- God... I feel so stupid saying that..."

"Manic was there too," Shadow adds, sitting back down, shivering slightly. "I watched the whole thing. Tried to give Scourge and Manic a taste of their own medicine and-"

"Wait, Manic's involved?" I cut off.

"Yeah..." Tails sighs. "I didn't want to tell you that Manic picks on me too because I knew you'd be mad at him, but I guess Shadow's saved me the trouble of calling him out myself-"

"What the hell?" I shout. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I don't wait for an answer, and leave the table to find Manic. I swear to god, if he did so much as lay a finger on Tails, I am going to piss my own ass. Manic has his problems, and I know it's up to him as to how he deals with them, but taking it out on Tails? What the actual fuck?

I arrive at Scourge's table, and cringe at the thought of having to speak to those people. I ask where Manic is and get no straight answer from anyone, and I'm told to ask Vector. I knew I should have gone to him first. He always knows where everyone is. Vector directs me to the Discovery block, where I find Manic leaving his Biology intervention class with Jet. I stride up to Manic, stopping him and Jet in their tracks.

"Okay, little brother, _please_ correct me if I'm wrong, but _what_ the _fuck_ have you been doing to my bro?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do! How long has this been going on, huh? You and your stupid dickhead friends bullying my little brother?"

"Oh my god, Sonic," Manic says, rolling his eyes. "When will you realize that Tails is not your brother? He's a waste of fucking space."

"You'd better be careful what you fucking say or-"

"WHAT IN THE SAM HELL IS THIS?" Jet cuts off. "What the hell? Why are you guys yelling your faces off whilst I'm still here? I don't wanna hear this, and I doubt anyone else does either!"

Jet's shouting silences the entire ground floor of the Discovery block. The three of us are brought to the center of attention, a small circle of students forming around us. They probably do want to hear, but I'd rather they didn't.

"You're right, Jet," Manic agrees, after a while. "You go. I'll deal with this."

Manic and I are stuck in a Mexican Standoff for a while, neither of us able to talk without the other erupting. Something's got to give, and I don't want to be here when it does. Without warning, I turn on my heel and leave the block, but in no way am I accepting defeat. I'm suddenly thankful that Espio's swapping with Manic. I don't want to sleep in the same room as a guy like him. Manic might be my brother, but that doesn't mean I can't hate him for what he does. I'll be keeping a very close eye on him from now on. It's the least I can do.


	37. Chapter 37

**\--Espio POV--**

Scourge and Manic are out. Knuckles is asleep again. Vector's probably listening to death metal or rap or whatever. It's safe.

I quickly and silently transfer my weapons and letters from the hole in the floor to my suitcase, and close the top. I can't see the guys in 4B looking through people's stuff. It should all be safe in here. Shadow arranged for Manic and I to swap at exactly five o'clock so nobody loses any of their stuff. I'm still confused as to why he seemed so eager to let this happen, just to get rid of Manic. It makes me wonder if he'd have had the same reaction if this were Vector or Knuckles.

I decide to relax for the next half an hour before five o'clock comes along. Just sit here on my bed and think about stuff, given that my thoughts doesn't get too crazy up in there. It's been a while since I lost control. Maybe getting banned from the computers for almost three weeks did me some good. I still owe one to Tails, though I never really had him down as the type who'd be constantly holding a grudge because you didn't return a favour. But I'd rather be kind to him than ignore him completely, like I usually do.

After a couple of minutes of reflection upon the last few weeks, my mind settles upon the graduation. Something I've been tempted to think about and always resisted, because I don't know if this is having an effect on me, and to be honest, I don't want to know. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. I just got on with my life instead. But I have the time and mental energy to think about this now. How long can I spend just ignoring the fact that I killed someone? Sure, it was legal, but isn't killing people a bad thing?

The fact that it was supposedly legal has been messing with me, slightly, no matter how hard I try not to think.

It was legal. I was fighting to stay alive. Bean cheated and I still came out on top. I don't feel guilty about this. Not at all. But if this was legal, then why was Mr. Kukku so hung up on calling every policing force in the city? There was no reassurance from my Sensei. He could have at least told Mr. Kukku that this is legal, right? This has been happening since the 1800s. Surely, if this were illegal, we'd know.

"Knock knock knock, nearly five o'clock!" Manic shouts from outside the door, before banging on it until I lose my patience. He's early. There's no guarantee that I'm actually done packing yet. Then again, I am rarely late for anything, and I'm known for being that one kid who does his homework on the night he gets it without fail, so by staying put on this bed, I'm not fooling anyone. I lift my suitcase off the sheets beside me, and take one last look around the room before I leave this place, hopefully forever.

"Ya know what dey say, Es?" Vector starts, watching me walk to the door, "Ya know what dey say? Dey say dat da grass ain't always-"

"I don't know what they say, and I don't care what they say." I cut off, bitterly. "I'm not going to change my mind." I pause before opening the door. "Good luck, Vector," I call over my shoulder, then step out into the hub.

Manic and I cross paths, slipping past each other without a word. We've both done each other a huge favour. I won't need to return anything to him. Naturally, the other Year 10s are curious as to what's happening, and I don't answer their questions. I just try to mask the euphoria of escaping the hell-dimension. God, did I hate that dorm.

I knock on the door to 4B, and Silver is the one to answer. I quickly explain myself, because it seems as if he wasn't told about anything, and he thought Manic was just staying the night at 4D again. I guess he's not wrong, Manic _is_ staying the night there, and all of the other nights too. I push my suitcase underneath the bottom end of Silver's bed. The last time I slept on top bunk of any bed was on a school trip in elementary school. That was probably the best night of sleep I ever had. It was peaceful up there. I could pretend I was up in a tree somewhere.

"Espio?" Shadow asks, snapping me out of my flashback. "Mighty showed up here about an hour ago asking if you were here yet. He left a note. I can't make any sense of it."

He throws the paper to me and I catch it, mildly annoyed by the fact that Shadow read the note before I could. But looking at it, it's just a tiny scrap of paper with Mighty's scrawl on it. It's not exactly private. I squint my eyes as I try to decipher Mighty's relatively illegible handwriting and make out the message.

_"The old meeting point, 11am, Saturday."_

_He... He wants to meet up with me?_

I wrack my brain for a possible reason for this interaction. Anything is a risk. The level of hatred between our families is immeasurable. Why would he want to do this?

We used to meet near the Green Hill Skate Park outside of school hours. Sometimes we'd walk as far as Wave Ocean. Just the two of us. Quality time with the best friend. It needed to happen so we could escape the stress of school, but we haven't walked there together since last July. So why now? What's changed?

My memory is suddenly brought back to the voicemail, that I still haven't deleted. Of course that's what changed.

I bring my phone and earphones out of my pocket and listen again. And again. And again. With every word he chokes out, I remember another day we spent together, another priceless memory, and after all this time, I realize the extent that I miss Mighty. If Vector hadn't told him about the deathmatch, I wouldn't be in this predicament. He won't have even known and I wouldn't have a reason to meet up with the one guy who could end home life as we know it with one conversation. But would I really choose corrupted family squabbles over my best friend?

Argh, what am I saying? I've agreed to worse things.

I put away the earphones and open up my contacts, deciding to take a risk. Scrolling all the way down to the bottom of the list, I find Mighty's number, and punch out a message, my hands shaking with an emotion I don't think I've ever felt before: a mix of nervousness, anticipation, dread, regret, and everything in-between, then hit send.

_"I'll be there."_


	38. Chapter 38

**\--Shadow POV--**

I take my usual seat next to Rouge in the math class. I remember Omega saying something about a group activity today, so as expected, I'm not in the best of moods. Sonia likes to refer to me as a "lone wolf", whatever that means. But I like the idea of it. Active at night, alone, clever and powerful, and will destroy anything that blocks its path. That's the type I am, I think. Or at least, the type I'd like to be. I don't want people to fear me, but I don't want them to know me either. I'm just that one edgy kid in the math class sat next to the school thot, giving absolutely no shits that people ship us left right and center. I do what I want, and if I don't want to do a group activity, then I won't. But this time, the sheets that Omega has handed out to us are appealing to me. I may be the lone wolf, but a competition is one of the things that I simply _cannot_ resist.

"Get yourselves into groups of four, and then I'll explain what we are doing today," Omega instructs.

I hear my name get called be someone to my left, and I'm confused when I see Knuckles and Espio sitting at the desk in the back corner.

"Since when were you in this group?" I ask Knuckles.

"Since I got moved up a set for absolutely smashing middle set last term," Knuckles replies, with an element of cockiness, and I pray to the gods that he didn't mean that literally. "You're smart, Shad. We need ya."

Rouge looks at me, as if trying to tell me that she'll never forgive me if I go to Knuckles and Espio and leave her to fend for herself in this challenge, and give in to her silent pleading.

"Can Rouge come too?" I ask, defeated.

"Well..." Espio starts. "We were looking for someone a little more... um..."

"Intellectual," Knuckles finishes.

Rouge stares blankly at Knuckles for a second, and then turns to me, hoping I'll speak in her favour, but the temptation to continue to annoy her becomes too much.

"I agree with Knuckles," I say quietly, trying to keep a straight face.

"What the fuck, you Hot Topic hot sauce motherfucker? Intellectual my foot!" she shouts, before getting up and going over to Sally's group.

We complete the group of four by bringing Tails into the team, and the four of us begin ploughing through the questions on the papers. The four of us play to our strengths, using what we know about each other from the Science lessons to make a formidable team. It's this sort of group work that I don't mind one bit. It's only when we reach the algebraic trigonometry that we begin to lose our stride.

"When are we ever going to use this?" Espio sighs, scribbling numbers onto the paper and looking extremely confused.

"To get into college, maybe?" Knuckles suggests.

"How valuable is college, if you've got to know useless crap like this to get in?"

"College is extremely valuable! Back in 19-aught-7 when I graduated from the Princeton University I learnt that-"

"Okay boomer, shut the fuck up!" Tails cuts off. It always takes me by surprise when Tails swears, but he's in a class full of teenagers, so what can I say? They taught him well.

"I'm not done," Knuckles continues. "That I'm... a very handsome guy. Now I'm done."

"Do your work, guys," I say. "We've got a competition to win."

**\--Sonic POV--**

"Hey, Jet, what did you get for question fourteen?" I whisper.

"Do it yourself, it's not that hard-"

He's cut off by the teacher whacking our heads with a rolled-up piece of paper. I stick my tongue out at the teacher when her back is turned, and attempt question fourteen for the third time. The work we do in lesson is never this hard. I don't think we've even learnt half of the stuff in this paper. At what point did circle theorems and histograms come into this year's maths lessons? What even _is_ a histogram? I give up trying to figure out what a histogram is and draw a bar-chart instead. Maybe I'll get one or two marks for putting something down.

"You're doing it wrong," Jet whispers, looking over my shoulder.

"I thought you didn't want to help me."

"You need to plot the frequency den- OW!"

I turn to my left and see the teacher with a whiteboard eraser in her hand this time. "Final warning, Hawk," she says, walking away and tossing the eraser up and down in her hand.

Jet rubs his head. "I'm reporting her ass..."

"If it didn't work last time, why would it work now?" I whisper back, only to have the eraser thrown at my head. It bounces off my temple and lands on my paper, smudging the pen ink.

"That'll teach you to talk in my lessons," the teacher scolds, twirling her hair around her finger. I didn't think I could possibly hate anyone more than Eggman but I think I've just found someone. Stupid cover teachers, always idiots. I'm gonna give this woman a taste of her own medicine. I look up at the whiteboard and I'm drawn to the shelf full of coloured markers, and an idea begins brewing in my mind. I forget about the test altogether, and brainstorm all of the different ways I could really screw up the order of those pens.

When the end of the lesson comes along, I give Jet a heads-up that I'm going to be staying a little while longer, and wait until everyone's out of the classroom before I make my move. Whilst the cover teacher is knelt at the other end of the classroom sorting through the cupboards, I sneak back inside and get to work.

I got banned from using my speed back when I ran so fast in a Year Seven PE lesson that I dug a three-foot-deep groove in the racetrack. Since then, I've had to be careful about how and when I unleash my full speed potential, and right now, this calls for all the speed I've got. In less than a second, I've swapped the insides of all of the whiteboard markers so the ink colour doesn't match the lid colour for a single pen.

"That'll teach her not to abuse kids with whiteboard equipment," I whisper to myself, as I walk out of the classroom, puling a silly face at the teacher as I leave. Mission accomplished.


	39. Chapter 39

**\--Shadow POV--**

I can't remember the last time I came out of a group activity in a good mood, but that doesn't matter anymore because it's happened again. We won, alright, fourteen marks ahead of second place. Obviously Rouge won't be too happy with us for kicking her out, but you know what? I don't care. I just want to enjoy my lunch, and maybe message Cream and ask if she's found any more glitches in the matrix. I pull my cellphone out of my pocket and cleverly hide it in my blazer, scrolling through the various messages in the group chat that I made specifically for this, after Sonic banned Cream and I from the other one for confusing the shit out of everyone. When I first met Cream, I had no idea that she'd be the type to question reality in such an interesting way. She might be sweet and innocent but my god, does she have some good questions. I find yesterday's discussion about quantum immortality and begin reading through it again, but I quickly lose sight of where I'm going and walk straight into Espio.

"Whoa! Watch where you're going- oh. Hi Shadow," Espio says, frantically trying not to drop his slice of pizza. "Hey, I was planning on sitting with you guys today seeing as Vector's on intervention. Is that okay?"

"Well, I was actually planning on spending lunch alone today, but you can come along with me if you want," I say, hoping that I won't regret this last-minute change of plan. I figure that I'm in too much of a rare good mood to pass up an opportunity to be social. We find a table in the corner of the cafeteria, and it's me who starts the conversation. I've been sat next to Espio in Science for all of this year so far, and I still haven't really gotten to know him.

"So, Espio," I start. "You do all that ninja stuff, right? How did you get into it?"

Espio sighs, and stares at the table for a couple of seconds before answering, "It's complicated."

"I'm prepared to listen."

"Oh, very well," Espio says, smiling. There's something about the way he says it that sparks up something deep within me. It's almost nostalgic. For a second, my mind is taken back to when Maria used to tell me stories when I was too young and dumb to think of my own. I'd be there, listening like my life depended on it, always asking for more detail, or another story altogether. I let Espio tell me his story.

"I didn't want to be a ninja to start with," he begins. "It was my father who signed me up. You see, I was... a strange child. I told you about those intrusive thoughts a while ago, right? Well, when I was younger I didn't really know when to conceal them. I guess I was a bit of a hothead. I voiced all of my emotions, thinking other people would care or help me, but they always told me I was "troubled", or that I had "issues", and my father thought I was crazy. He tried to get me into a mental institute when I was seven, but obviously they wouldn't take me-"

"That's surprising, judging by the way you're eating your pizza," I cut off. Espio pauses, then slowly places down the knife and fork on the table, before continuing.

"They wouldn't take me, so Father signed me up at the Robotropolis Shinobi Clan when I was eight and they took me in. They taught me how to stay calm, keep stuff inside my head and control myself. I actually graduated from ninja training very recently, but because because of the circumstances, I'm allowed to keep attending every Friday night."

"Are you going tonight?"

"Yeah, I am. I don't have to be part of the actual lessons anymore though. I just work on whatever I need to."

I try to imagine Espio being anything but a level-headed, quiet, disciplined person, but everything he described about how he used to be just seems so different. I don't know what they do over at the Shobini, or whatever it's called, but whatever it is, this Espio must be completely unrecognizable to anyone who knew him before. Or at least, that's the impression that I get.

We continue to talk about ourselves, telling each other stories about dumb things we did or people we used to know, and Espio's in hysterics by the time I get round to telling him about getting chili in my eyes. I find him to be very good company. Of all the people that I could make laugh, I'd have just assumed that Espio would be the most difficult, and making anyone laugh is extremely out of character for me. I know that for a fact. And here we are making fools of ourselves.

The conversation turns to me once again, and I gladly tell Espio about my home life. I let him into all of the happenings of Ivo back home, and confirm that he is indeed a lot dumber than he pretends to be, and that all of his 300 IQ points were drained by making Orbot and Cubot, and by the time he'd finished with whose two, he had no IQ left. I don't think I've ever felt so at home in a conversation before. It's strange, but... it's effortless. I definitely won't regret this.

**\--Silver POV--**

"Hey, Sil, you seen Shadow?"

I finish my mouthful of pasta before replying to Knuckles. "No, why?"

"I need him for a question on the Biology homework. Can you go find him?"

I'm puzzled for a second as to why he's asking me. I'm the only one of us who's still eating. I get up and try to find Shadow anyway though, because those fists of Knuckles' are still pretty darn intimidating, and I wouldn't want to get on their bad side. I'm pretty sure Knuckles wouldn't resort to punching me if I didn't go, but I guess you can never be too careful. I search the cafeteria and find Shadow sat with Espio in the corner, laughing about something. I decide to wait a little while before talking to them, because it's rare for Shadow to ever laugh. I don't want to ruin this moment.

As they talk, I find myself listing in on what they are saying. I mentally tell myself off for eavesdropping, but two words pull me back into the listening trance. Chaos emerald. This time, I listen more carefully, and pray to whoever's out there that I'm not noticed.

"How old is Gerald?"

"About a hundred and thirty, we think. He's forgotten his own age."

"Really? How is he even alive? Not to be rude..."

"He uses the Chaos energy from that emerald to keep him alive. He's figured out that if you have Chaos energy with you then you can live forever. It's probably illegal, but he doesn't really care that much."

I suddenly forget about Knuckles entirely. There is a Chaos emerald in Shadow's house, and Cream told me exactly where that house is. Number fourteen. I can go there. A plan begins to formulate in my mind.

_No, no, no. You can't do that! You can't just steal something that's keeping someone alive!_

_But... didn't I do that before? I stole Mephiles' Chaos Emerald, and without that, he's just a cloud of purple smoke._

_He's not dead though, is he?_

_Elise is dead, Heart. What's your point?_

_I don't know, Brain, you tell me. Aren't you the smart one?_

My brain is the smart one. My brain is telling me to get that emerald and get the hell out of here. I've done it once before. And that means I can do it again.


	40. Chapter 40

**\--Manic POV--**

The three of us arrive at the party as the sun goes down. Scourge wanted to go out tonight, and he took Fiona and I with him. I can't help but feel like I'm third-wheeling on some date or something, but I stay with them anyway.

"You guys want drinks? On me?" Fiona asks.

"Yes, but I'll pay," Scourge says, winking. "I gotta treat my lady once in a while."

Fiona giggles at Scourge's response, and the two of us find a free table. We sit in silence, me on my phone and Fiona staring off into the distance. Scourge comes back a while later, weaving around the mosh-pit near the bar.

"Friday night after a big math exam's gotta deserve some alcohol, right? I got your favorite, Fiona~" he sings, clumsily putting the three cocktails on the table.

"How do you even get past security, Scourge?" I ask.

"You know me, the sneaky little rule-breaking bastard! I can do anything and the security wouldn't give a shit about it because in this outfit I look like some sort of twenty-two-year-old temporarily sober crackhead."

"Can't argue with that one," I say, not at all sarcastically, as the open leather jacket swings when Scourge sits down, revealing a little more skin than I'm prepared to see. I avert my eyes and continue scrolling through my Chatsnap feed, sipping on the cocktail as I do so.

I've never been much of a drinker. Of course, there's wine at Christmas and the occasional beer at a barbecue, but I'd never had anything quite as strong as a cocktail before I started going on these "nights out with the squad". If anything, just being here is making me uncomfortable, let alone intoxicating myself. But there's just something about the alcohol that makes me keep drinking. It may taste disgusting, and make me feel like I want to puke, but the way it burns my throat and warms me up from the inside out is just so _addicting_.

I reach the end of the feed and look back up at Scourge and Fiona, who I can tell are already feeling the effects of the alcohol and are absolutely all over each other.

"You know what?" I start, randomly.

Scourge looks up at me, frustratedly. "What?"

"If you two are gonna be publicly fucking each other, I don't wanna be here. I'm gonna go explore the party," I announce, and start walking away from the pair of absolute whores that, sometimes, I'm ashamed to call friends. "Thanks for the drink," I shout, and get on my way.

**\--Espio POV--**

_"Ah, Good to see you, Espio. How is your recovery going along?"_

_"I'm doing very well, Sensei. What was it you wanted to show me?"_

My Sensei reaches into a drawer, and pulls out a roll of parchment, the text handwritten in scruffy Japanese.

 _"I wanted you to have a look through these,"_ he starts, turning the parchment to face me. _"These are the notes I kept for you about your growth and development throughout your training here. I thought you should have them."_

I hesitate slightly, still translating the spoken language into English, and look at the parchment. It's set out like a journal, documenting my progress, my mental state, and anything else worth keeping a note of. I skim through the writing, and reject the offer.

 _"I know you would want me to have this, Sensei, but I'm not sure I would want to be reminded of how I used to be,"_ I explain. _"I've changed, and I know I won't return to that state, so I don't see why anyone should have to keep these."_

_"What I do with this is completely up to you, Espio."_

_"Please, don't keep it for longer than you need to."_

I re-roll the parchment and gently place it on the desk. I've put my past self behind me, now. I know that the person I am now is a better person than the other ever was. Why would I want a reminder of him? Though I understand the gesture. I watch my Sensei take a long sip of green tea, whilst flicking through various bits of paper, and smile to myself, knowing that he would never wish anything bad for his students. He only sees the best in us. This place is more of a home than home ever was. I'm safe here.

I'm wrenched out of my happy thoughts by crashing and shouting outside of the office. My Sensei is startled by it, and drops his tea on the floor, smashing the mug, but he doesn't seem to care, and strides right over it to the door. When he opens it, I hear the shouting more clearly:

"WE ARE THE POLICE!"

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP!"

I run up behind him and look outside, and watch the police wrestle the entire clan to the ground, handcuffing them one by one with the help of guns and tear gas and tasers. My Sensei turns to me, panicking, and sprints to the desk before throwing all of the papers into the fireplace, along with the roll of parchment.

 _"Sensei, what are you doing?"_ I shout.

_"Burning all evidence of you ever being here. You need to go."_

My heart sinks as I realize what this means. _"But Sensei, I thought this was legal-"_

_"GO!"_

I leap behind the desk and turn myself invisible, then make a break for the open window. I scramble outside, narrowly avoiding a gunshot from the police, and once I'm outside, I dare to look back. My Sensei is on the floor, a policeman's elbow on his neck, being brutally beaten and handcuffed by the GUN soldiers, him writhing beneath them and trying to break free.

 _"LET ME GO!"_ He chokes, over and over, to no avail.

"You're gonna have to beg a little bit harder than that, motherfucker, and maybe in a language we actually understand too," replies one of the GUN soldiers, pulling my Sensei onto his feet and pushing him out into the corridor. I waste no more time, and run.

I don't pay attention to where I'm going. I fly through the city faster than I've ever ran before, stumbling over grates and startling pedestrians. I distance myself as much as I can from the Shinobi HQ until my legs physically can't support me anymore, and I fall onto a park bench in the most ungraceful way imaginable. Fighting for breath and dry-heaving, I unvanish, and pray that I wasn't followed. This wasn't legal. Me killing Bean, anyone killing anyone. Mr. Kukku was right. None of this was legal. We've just been made to believe that it was. How many other laws have I broken, just by being there? Just by being a part of that Clan, I'm a criminal. As soon as those police find any evidence of my existence, my Wanted poster is gonna be plastered all over the city. I begin to feel horribly nauseous. The head of the GUN could use any one of her vixen tricks to prize any information out of my Sensei, and then, just like that, me and my entire family is done for. I lean over the side of the bench, crying uncontrollably, wailing, trying not to choke on my own vomit, trying not to vomit at all, but my chest and stomach burn with a fire I've never felt before, like somebody's melted down my entire life into a cocktail of molten lies, and is killing me with it from the inside. And I deserve it, for believing this shit.

_Kill me..._

The park suddenly goes from dark, to lit up in swirls of blue and red. Instinctively, I vanish again, somehow maintaining invisibility, and count as the police cars drive right past me. Nine of them. They've got everyone. The Robotropolis Shinobi Clan is no more.


	41. Chapter 41

**\--Manic POV--**

I don't know what cocktail this is but it is _really_ strong. I would go back to Scourge and ask him what the fuck he's trying to poison me with this time, or just figure it out for myself, but the crowds are too big and the music is too loud for me to be able to think straight. I continue exploring the club, getting shoved around by moshers and narrowly avoiding the groups of people that are drunk off their asses. I keep drinking the cocktail and keep to the corners, trying to look as least friendly as I can to avoid trouble.

I take refuge at a relatively clean table at the back, furthest from the stage and the bar. I'm barely visible in the darkness, and half consider going to sleep for a while to rid the dizziness, but quickly decide against it. Falling asleep in a club like this is probably the worst thing I could ever do. With every look at the party animals, I wonder yet again why the fuck Scourge keeps bringing us here. But I trust Scourge. He does some real awesome crazy shit and it's nice to get out of school once in a while. But I can't help feeling like I just want to go home.

Actually, you know what? I am gonna go home. I don't want to third-wheel with Scourge and Fiona anymore, and they didn't even care that I left anyway.

I down the rest of my cocktail in three big gulps, and wince as the alcohol scorches my throat. As I stand, I have to grip the side of the chair to stop myself from falling over, but I keep going. But something is stopping me from being able to get out of here, and I can't quite figure out what it is. I stumble around the club trying to retrace my steps, but everything is wonky and the lights are swirling, making navigation impossible. A few minutes later, I temporarily give up trying to find my way out of here and slump down onto another table. I go to take a sip from the cocktail glass in my hand, and I'm met with nothing.

"Nothin'? Ohhh yeahhh, I drank it alllll up..." I say to myself, slamming the glass down onto the table so hard that it smashes. Or at least, I think it smashes. Everything looks smashed up. I don't even know where the fuck I am anymore. Confused, angry, thirsty, and frustrated, I swipe the glass onto the floor and attempt to find my way out once more. I end up having to feel my way along a wall to get to a door. I open it, and fall into another room.

It's quieter, and there's less lights. That's got to be a good sign. I pull myself off the floor and grab onto the bar for support. A different bar. Unmanned. I take a quick look around me, and find nobody nearby, or looking my way, and the dry coarseness in my throat worsens with every breath I take. Surely another drink wouldn't hurt? I can't possibly get any more drunk than I am now, can I? I drop onto the floor and crawl around behind the bar, and pull off the first bottle I can get a good grip on.

"Ahh, fuck yeah, I'mma gon' sip that shit," I think out loud, prising the lid off the bottle. This should last me until I get out of here.

**\--Rouge POV--**

* * *

_Today, 7:22pm_

**You:** I'm there

 **Shadow:** You be careful. I heard there's gonna be a big mosh party on tonight.

 **You:** Yeah I know, Julie-Su's got me behind the bar next door to the main place. I'll be alright.

* * *

I secure my phone safely in my purse and enter Club Rouge through the back door. They name their club after the employee of the month, which just happens to be yours truly. I know I shouldn't be working here on Friday nights. In fact, I shouldn't be here any night. But about a month ago I decided that it might be a good idea to earn a little extra cash for myself, seeing as I'm regularly mistaken for 18 plus. It's pretty decent pay for bar lady. Twenty rings an hour, plus tips. And Julie-Su and I are working from seven thirty till ten.

Julie-Su, bless her soul, she'd been working on this bar for three years single handedly until I showed up. She sometimes tell me stories about all those drunken idiots expecting her to give them therapy or something. My personal favourite of her tales is that one time in August when some guy came into the strip club completely sunburned, blisters and all, asking for a watered-down beer to be poured on his head. And the big ol' J.S. fucking did it. She poured that beer right over him and he paid the full five rings. His girlfriend showed up at the dry-cleaners the next day and Julie-Su just happened to be there, and struck up a conversation with this lady about how her mistake of a boyfriend showed up at home looking like a lobster who's been drenched in his own piss, and she just laughed along as if she knew nothing. I smile to myself as I re-live the conversations we had, feeling no regrets that I chose to work here. I hang up my belongings in the back room and step out into the bar.

The night's barely started, but the sounds of whatever party's happening next door echo through to the strip room. The odd group of horny men and lesbians, and anyone who just wants to have a laugh with their friends, are scattered around the place waiting for the first stripper to arrive from wherever the hell she is, but there's no big commotion just yet. I sit around at the bar for another hour before anything really happens.

I don't watch the shows anymore. I just do my job. I've got an entire packet of the latest Hot Topic magazines that Shadow gave me under the bar that I can read instead. I remember Shadow's Hot Topic phase better than he does. According to him, they sell he best value ripped jeans you can buy that don't fall apart and trail their denim strings all over the place. I sit, cross-legged on the bar stool, and flick through the Women's wear sections trying to find something interesting, serving the occasional drink as I read. I never really get people talking to me when I'm on the bar like Julie-Su does. I'm too engrossed in the mags to talk to anyone much. But just as I turn to the last page of this week's article, I see a flash of green in the corner of my eye, and my silence very quickly changes.

"Oho, look at this! We've got a drunk kid over here~"

"I- I... am not drunk, ya thot!"

_Manic?_

I stuff the magazine into the bottom of the bar, and call for Julie-Su to take over on service. When she shows up, I walk over to the far table to see what's up.

"A feisty one, huh? What's what you got there?" The lady coos, walking up to Manic. "May I have a sip?"

Manic yanks his bottle from the woman, pointing at her and taking a huge swig. "Gerroff! It's miiiine."

"Not anymore!" I shout, snatching the drink from behind him. I take one look at it and immediately figure out that this bottle of vodka must be stolen. Who in their right mind would sell vodka to a minor? "What do you think you're doing here?" I ask.

"OI! GIMME MY VODKA- Rouge? Bruh, whaddafuck are _youuu_ doin' 'ere?"

"I work here. I pass for eighteen. You don't," I answer, raising my voice over the music. "Now how about you get out of here before I report you?"

"How about you... shut your mouth with your threeeee wings? Nine-winged bat Naruto-looking motherfucker... Whewww! Gottem!"

"Right, that's it-"

I grab manic by his vest and shove him out of the club, ignoring his protests. I go to close the door on him, when I'm stopped by his shouting.

"ROUGE, YOU'RE LITERALLY FIFTEEN!"

"Yeah, piss off," I shout back, slamming the door in his face. I turn around to return to the bar, but I'm met with an angry Julie-Su blocking my way.

She stands over me, with hands on her hips, and asks, "What was all that about you being fifteen?"

**\--Espio POV--**

I remember when Knuckles and I used to pull all of the mazes out of puzzle books when we were younger, photocopy them, and race to the end of the maze. I always won. Knuckles still insists that I cheated, but that's because he doesn't know how mazes work. With a maze, if you always turn in one direction, then you will never backtrack or go somewhere you've already been. Always turning in one direction takes you through the entire maze and guarantees an escape. That is, until you get to a place in the maze where you start going round and round in circles, which is where logic comes in, and only then do you start going the other way. I tell myself that, whenever I'm lost, I should use the maze strategy to find myself again. I know the general direction in which I ran from the Clan HQ, so I should be able to find the train station from here.

It takes me an hour to walk back to the station, and another half an hour to get back to Green Hill. By the time I get back to the school, it's past ten o'clock. As I climb the stairs to the fourth floor, I convince myself that everything is going to be okay. I've escaped the police. All evidence is sawdust now. Pure, diabetic sawdust, and I trust my Sensei not to say anything.

Is he my Sensei anymore? Or is he just Pachacamac? I don't really know.

I'm stopped in the middle of the stairs by noises above me. I don't really know how to describe them other than... well, zombie. I continue up the stairs warily, and vanish as I turn the corner onto the fourth floor.

"Wha- What... who's there?" says a dark figure, stood outside 4B. I slowly walk up to him, and only show myself when I recognize who he is.

"Manic."

"ARGH! Wha- wheeererre did you come out of from?" he shouts, putting his hands over his face, and stumbling backwards.

"I... what? Are you drunk or something?"

"I dunno, ask that clot at the thub or something, she fuckin' took it."

"Took what? Look, Manic, I don't know what game you're playing but I won't stand for it," I tell him. "I'm tired, I've had a bad day, I want to go to sleep, and you're stood in my way."

"Do I, do I, uhm, do I even give a shite that you wanna gerrin there?"

"Obviously not," I answer, grabbing him by the collar and throwing him into 4D.

"HEY! I AIN'T GETTIN' SHOVED AROUND TWICE IN ONE NIGH-"

"Yeah, fuck off," I say calmly, slamming the door in his face. I don't need drunk hedgehogs on a night like this.


	42. Chapter 42

* * *

_Yesterday, 10:42pm_

**Rouge:** I'm fucking pissed off

_Yesterday, 10:53pm_

**Rouge:** Shadow

_Yesterday, 11:19pm_

**Rouge:** Shadowwwww! 😡😡

_Today, 9:56am_

**You:** What the fuck Rouge, I was asleep!

 **Rouge:** What sort of weirdo sleeps that early? 🙄

 **You:** I was tired. Why so pissed?

 **Rouge:** Fucking Manic cost me my job. His ass comes in the club, steals a fucking vodka, tells the entire place my real age and Julie fucking fires me!

 **You:** What did I tell you?

 **Rouge:** That they'd find out eventually... yeah I know. Quit acting like my dad, Jesus.

 **You:** Oh right, I see how it is, I'm not allowed to be concerned for your safety, huh?

 **Rouge:** Says the guy who used to mess with guns and knives and wants to work in the GUN blowing up motorcycles and shooting aliens.

 **You:** Calm down. You're just mad at me because I'm right and you got fired. And aren't I the one who does the yelling? I mean, you've got your shiny rocks and shit, all that chakre shit. Channel your inner treasure hunter and calm the fuck down. And please don't remind me about the shooting stuff, that was a stupid phase.

 **Rouge:** You bet it was. You were such a fucking try-hard 🤣

 **You:** Don't. Fucking. Remind. Me.

* * *

**\--Shadow POV--**

I must have told Rouge to quit that job about fifteen times and she still wouldn't listen. I care about Rouge. I don't even try to deny that fact. I try to let her do her own thing but when she gets a job in a strip club, I can't just let her take it. What sort of friend would I be if I didn't try to get Rouge to a safe place? Thank god Julie-Su fired her, because there's no way I'd have been able to get Rouge to quit that job by myself without inflicting Chaos Control on her.

That fucking edgy phase, though. That Bat-face bitch still brings that up whenever she can. I think that might have been around the time when I thought I was an android. I can't remember how many things I shot whilst I was on that part-time, unpaid trial job with the GUN, but just the thought of blowing up a car or Chaos Blasting a load of idiots makes me cringe now. It was only when Gerald got wind of what I was doing that he then decided to tell me that I'm not an android after all, and I wasn't created to be some ruthless killing machine. But for some reason, I do still want to work there. I learned a lot from the experience. Not just how to cock a machine gun like a pistol, but life lessons too.

I climb out of my bed and get dressed, remembering those days. They were... what? One and a half years ago? Maybe even longer. And somehow I've re-discovered my will to live. As I pull on my ripped jeans, I run my hands over my shins and my wrists, mapping out old ridges of scars, traces of habits that at the time I didn't know were destroying me. I just thought it was a coping mechanism. A normal thing that normal people did to get over the shit in their lives. And then Sonic found out. I can't remember how. But it was at that point where I didn't think anything could pull me back out of my endless existential identity crisis, mixed in with grief for Maria, and fear of losing my memory yet again. But I got there. We got there. Even though at the time I hated Sonic with a passion, he stood by me. He listened. He kept me safe. I want to do that for other people. Protect mankind, especially my friends. And that's what Rouge just doesn't seem to understand.

I'm plucked out of my various small flashbacks by a knock on the door, which I open, still trying to untangle my shirt. I only look up when the visitor speaks.

"Hey Shadow," Jet chirps, with a cheeky smile on his face.

"What the fuck do you want, Hawk?"

"Well, I've been talking to Sonic and I hear that you skate," he explains, raising an eyebrow.

I quickly pull the shirt over my head, not breaking eye contact for a single second. "I do skate. Care to continue?"

"I was wondering if you would like to join Sonic, Wave, Storm and I for a bit of friendly competition. Just a race around the city. Wave's got the route mapped out for each of us so nobody has an advantage with their gear. What do you say?"

I think for a second, and nod my head, seeing as I have nothing better to do on this particular Saturday. "I'll meet you in the hub in a sec," I say, and head back inside to find my skates.

I've raced against Sonic many times. I could say it's a bit of a hobby. But we've never brought the Babylon Rogues along before. I've seen Jet going from place to place on his hoverboard and I must say, he's pretty impressive. It would be a nice change to race against someone new.

I strap on my skates and head out into the hub, and find the other four sat around the nearest table in a circle waiting for me. I've never really had a lot of interaction with Storm, but I can already tell that I won't like him, and from what I remember from Math and Science, Wave just seems like a combination of Sally and Tails.

"You ready to get thrashed, Faker?" I ask Sonic.

"I think you're the fake hedgehog around here, Shorty."

"Half an inch, Sonic, half an inch..."

"What even is a faker?" Storm asks. "I hear you two calling each other "Faker" all the time."

"A Faker," I begin, "is any hedgehog that isn't me."

I remain silent for the rest of the long journey to the starting point - the Green Hill skate park. I take in the cacophony of city sounds: cars, people, birds, Jet and Wave arguing over god-knows what, and out of the corner of my eye I catch a flash of purple. I turn to my right, but see nothing.

"Hey Shadow, here's your map," Wave says. I keep staring to my right. "Um... hello? Shadow? You there?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, thanks Wave," I say, taking the map.

She's printed out an overhead view of Green Hill City, and drawn arrows all over it, colour coded for each of us. I trace the red line with my finger and notice that I'm following the exact same route as the blue line, which I assume to be Sonic. The Babylon Rogues are taking a straighter route, probably to make up for their speed disadvantage. Whatever Wave's doing, she's taking it very seriously. Just the kind of competition I like.

"Alright maggots, line up!" Jet shouts, impersonating the PE teacher and getting a few laughs out of Sonic and Wave.

"Where are we lining up?" Storm shouts back.

Jet rolls his eyes, and points at a grate on the ground. "Here."

I join the line between Storm and Sonic, and kneel down to turn on the turbo settings on my skates. Without the rockets, I might as well be a figure skater.

"Are you guys ready yet?" Sonic asks, impatiently tapping his foot. "I'm gonna take your silence as a yes. I'll do the countdown. Five... four.. three... two-"

Sonic's countdown is cut off by Jet speeding off early, followed by Wave and Storm. "Bye, bitches!" they all shout, harmoniously.

"Darn cheaters..." I growl, speeding off behind them, almost knocking Sonic off his feet.

I almost forget to take the left turn onto the back streets, and lose precious time as a consequence.

"Rolling around at the speed of sound, got places to go, gotta FOLLOW MY RAINBOW!" Sonic sings, sprinting past me down the alley.

"Shut up, you stupid Faker!" I shout. "I've got a race to win, here!"

**\--Jet POV--**

"Haha, I can't believe that worked! This race is mine! VROOOOM!"

"Imagining yourself as a jet plane won't help you this time, Jet! This was my idea!"

"Just because it was your idea doesn't mean you can pull it off as good as anyone else, Wave-o! They don't call me the Legendary Wind Master for no reason!"

I lower my smartwatch and drift around the few corners with ease, speeding ahead of Wave and Storm by about a hundred lengths. This is what I live for. The wind in my feathers, my board propelling me at speeds where numbers don't even have value anymore. I lightly skim the water of the canal with my fingers, creating waves and walls of water behind me, the sunlight making rainbows in the air. I always win these races. Wave and Storm couldn't keep up with me if they tried.

For a split-second, the rainbows turn from all colours to just red and blue, and the sirens catch up with me a few seconds later. I hesitantly look over my shoulder and find about four police cars chasing me down.

"Oh boy..."

This isn't the first time this has happened. All it takes to get away from these guys is a quick detour through the train station. But do I really want to forfeit the race just for a few cops?

_Oh come on, Jet. Don't be such a bird-brain. Quit the damn race!_

I wait for the right moment, and throw myself around a corner just as the cops lose sight of me, and fire myself flat-out into the station and out of the other side, landing softly on a brick wall. I click my watch on, and speak into the microphone.

"Hey, I had to forfeit. The cops nearly got me. You've lost your competition, so for the rest of this race, you can do your worst and still win."


	43. Chapter 43

**\--Espio POV--**

I check my watch as I near the skate park, and find that I'm ten minutes early. I decide to have a look around the park and re-familiarize myself with the old meeting point. Not a lot has changed apart from that they've replaced a few fences, and a couple more pieces of rather rude graffiti have popped up on the ramps. I explore the park for a few minutes, but I'm frozen on the spot when a group of familiar faces show up at the entrance. Jet, Wave, Storm, Shadow and Sonic stride into the park, talking and laughing, and I have to dive behind a smaller ramp just as Shadow looks my way. Nobody can know that Mighty and I are going to be here together. Not even Shadow.

"I see you're early too."

I instinctively vanish, and turn around to see Mighty also hiding behind the ramp. He looks straight through me, and smiles.

"No need to hide, Es," Mighty reassures. "I heard Wave saying something about a race back in the hub. They'll be gone soon."

I slowly sit on the floor and turn visible again. "It's... been a while," I say, not really knowing what to do now I'm here.

"You don't say."

Mighty and I stay seated on the ground, looking around us and taking in our surroundings. I wonder if he's changed at all? I remember how he'd always talk about how he wanted to travel all around the world one day, and maybe take Ray and I with him on some adventures. He told me that it was his main goal in life to travel. God, I hope it's still the same.

"I bet you're wondering why I brought you here, huh?" He asks.

"Well I was actually wondering if you still want to travel around the world," I admit. "But come to think of it, I would like to know why I'm here."

Mighty pauses, and takes a deep breath before beginning. "I just wanted to say that... I'm proud of you. face to face with no interruptions or... fears. And I'm glad you won the fight. And I know this is gonna sound stupid but it wasn't until you could have died that I realized how much I miss you, Es. But I never did try to be friends with you again until now because... what's that saying..."

"Friends come and go, but family is forever?"

"Yeah. That. For a while I just... hoped that I'd get over it, you know? Your family hating my family. I thought I'd be fine just staying with them but... they're idiots... and they hate you-"

"You wanna know another saying?" I cut off.

"What?"

"Friends are the family you choose."

Mighty pauses, and smiles, staring at his feet and pulling his knees to his chest. Out of all the people I've ever met, Mighty is by far the hardest to read. It's pretty obvious when he's scared or sad but anything else and I'm completely stumped. It's a good job he's not a bad guy, or else I'd have steered well clear of him at all costs.

"Espio?" he asks, breaking the silence. "Do you want to go somewhere?"

By "somewhere" I'm pretty sure he means Wave Ocean. I confirm my assumption by pointing west, and Mighty nods his head. It's a relatively short walk. Green Hill never did go too deep inland. It's just a long stretch of countryside with a city in the middle and Wave Ocean on the other side. With a casual walk, it only takes us an hour to get there. I remember the route like the back of my hand. I bet I could walk this road with my eyes closed. Not that I would want to, because with the amount of people who take advantage of the straightness of the roads and floor it all the way across the hills, I'm surprised the local authorities haven't put more bends in it. Then if people tried drifting to the other end of the road, their tires would be burning before they even got halfway. But it's a quiet day today.

We arrive at the cliffs just before midday, and stare out to the ocean with the wind slowly blowing in our faces. We always used to talk about how lucky the whales are. They have the entire ocean to themselves. They can just travel endlessly around the entire world, and we're stuck on land. There could be sailors. I heard Marine talking about how she wants to sail around the world. But why have a boat? What if it sinks? Or breaks? Or burns? The whales have their lives sorted out, unlike us. Lucky things.

**\--Sonic POV--**

"Jet, where'd you go?"

"You guys head back to the school. Don't worry about me, Sonic."

I flip over the case on my watch, having worried thought after worried thought as to where Jet may be. I start walking in the general direction of Green Hill Academy, before I'm stopped by Wave.

"So, mister Fastest Thing Alive," she taunts. "How does it feel?"

"How does what feel?"

"Being beaten, of course."

"You cheated! There is no winner here." I shout, walking in the other direction, away from Wave and Storm's laughs. I have better things to worry about than those two. They're sore losers, _and_ cocky 'winners'? I mean, I'd be a hypocrite if I complained about that but it's still annoying that they cheated. All I care about right now is Jet. I continue to walk towards Main Street, and after a few minutes I'm interrupted again by my cellphone buzzing. I reluctantly pull it out of my pocket and go to dismiss the various notifications, until I reach GHZNews.

_Is there the slightest chance that this could be about Jet? An arrest? A dead hawk found at the side of the road with a hoverboard? I'd better look..._

I'm shocked to find that the news article is not at all about Jet, but someone else entirely. And it takes me a few seconds to register exactly what the article means.

"Underage Mobian prince photographed drunk in a strip club?" I read aloud, leaning against a wall. My worries for Jet are temporarily replaced with rage and disbelief as I flick through the plethora of evidence that my brother was indeed at Club Rouge last night. I find picture after picture of Manic stumbling around the club, swigging vodka, battling with a bartender and videos of everything else. What was he _doing_? He's a prince! It's not safe to go there as a normal person, let alone being one of the most famous people on the planet! Oh _Manic_ , little bro, you are _so_ done for this time.


	44. Chapter 44

**\--Shadow POV--**

I collapse on my bed as soon as I arrive back at the dorm. I'm not going to lie, racing Sonic is pretty tiring. I kick my skates off my feet and curl up under the covers, enjoying the peace and quiet. It's one in the afternoon, but my sleep schedule's wack anyway, so what do I care if I fall asleep now?

But I _am_ alone...

Sonic's still hogging the guitar in Music. I still hate having to sing but according to Sonia, the others think I'm "way past awesome". Cringe. I never gave her permission to share the recordings with the group, but then she told me that she's gonna have to do that as part of the editing unless I want her to forfeit Block Parade. I still can't believe that's all it took to convince me, but what can I say? If that thing isn't played at my funeral then I'm not going. We've got two songs on the go right now: "Never Turn Back" and "I am All of Me", both by Crush 40. Probably the most famous rock band on the planet. And I've only really been practicing the latter. I close my eyes and try to recall the lyrics of "Never Turn Back", before beginning to sing.

"It's been a long, rough road and I'm finally here,  
I move an inch forward, feels like a year,  
Everything I feel seems so unreal,  
Is it true?  
Is it true?  
I take one step forward and two steps back,  
Got a hundred thousand pounds sitting on my back-"

I'm interrupted by the door flying open, and Sonic storming into the room.

"What took you so long, Blue?" I ask, slightly annoyed by his presence.

"Oh my God, I am SO pissed..."

"Uh... Faker? I asked you a question-"

"I SWEAR to GOD. If Manic puts ONE MORE FOOT out of fricking LINE, I'm going to PISS my own ass-"

"Still sane enough to quote Ivo, are you?"

"You have NO idea."

Sonic swings himself up onto the bed above mine, and I figure that trying to sing now is hopeless. I know he's heard me on the recordings, but doing it in person is a whole other story altogether. I let out a sigh, and prize the bedsheets away from me. The cold air hits my fur with such force that I almost retreat back into the bed, but I can't stay here. I just want to be alone for a while. Is it that hard?

_You live in a boarding school, you dunce. Of course it's that hard._

I reluctantly pull myself out of bed and exit the dorm, lightly slamming the door as I go. The door-slam is a universal symbol of my hatred for a situation, or at least, that's how Tails puts it. He shouldn't even be here. That guy knows too much. He's too wise for his own damn good. Poor kid's gonna stress himself out to the brink of death. And yet he still finds leftover braincells for analyzing my behavior. He probably knows me better than I do. To be honest, I doubt it's even that hard. I've been in a coma for almost my entire life.

I lean over the metal banisters and look down the stairs. When I listen carefully through the noise of the hub, I can hear a faint argument taking place on the bottom floor. Filled with curiosity, I descend down the stairs a few floors, until I can get a clear view of the Reception desk.

"Your Majesty, we cannot let you go upstairs."

"Well then bring him down here."

"It's February Half Term in a few days, Your Majesty, can this not wait?"

"Please, call me Aleena. And no, this cannot wait. I must speak to my son today. I did not come halfway across Northamer to be told that I cannot see my own son."

I sprint back up a few steps when the receptionist looks in my general direction, and stop at the midway point between floors two and three. Why is Queen Aleena here? I should tell Sonic. I turn around and jog back up the stairs to 4B, and poke my head around the door.

"Hey, Faker?" I shout. "Your mom's here."

"Finally. Go do me a favour and find Manic and tell him he'd better prepare himself for the whooping of a lifetime-"

"CAN MANIC FELGATE PLEASE GO TO RECEPTION. THANK YOU."

"Huh," I say, with a smile. "Looks like I won't have to do your silly little favours after all."

**\--Manic POV--**

"CAN MANIC FELGATE PLEASE GO TO RECEPTION. THANK YOU."

"Oopsie-daisy, looks like somebody's in trou-ou-ouble~!" Scourge sings.

"Shut up, dickhead, you're the one who got me drunk."

"Nuh uh, _you're_ the one who got yourself lost in a strip club."

"He did what?" Knuckles interrupts.

"Yeah you heard me right, Knucklehead," Scourge laughs. "This idiot's got himself all over GHZNews. Get a load of this-"

"Oh no you don't!" I yell, snatching the paper out of Scourge's hands, tearing it up, and planting it in the trash can. "I swear to god, Scourge, I don't need him on my back as well."

I pull the door open and slam it as I leave. This had better not be about last night. I don't even remember what happened past stealing the Vodka, but the goddamn fucking media do. I watched those videos. None of it. None of it happened in my memory at fucking all. I can't help thinking that the bar lady looked an awful lot like Rouge though. I hesitantly go down the stairs to reception, anticipating the worst, and find out that I'm right. This _is_ the worst.

"Manic," Mom says, flatly.

"You saw the news, didn't you."

"Your brother emailed me every single damn article."

"And you came all the way over here to chew me out?"

"Indeed I did."

We stand in silence for a few minutes. Mom never was good at being angry. Sometimes I wish she was an angrier type. Maybe then, my life wouldn't be such a mess.

"So... are you gonna chew me out or not?" I prompt.

"I'm disappointed in you, Manic Felgate," she says, calmly. "I thought you were better than this."

And then there's the disappoint. She may not be the angry shouty type of mom, but damn can she bring some guilt.

"I wish I was better than this," I sigh, without a fraction of a lie. I may have grown up as a street-rat, but that doesn't mean I can't grow out of being one. But I never did grow out of it and I don't think I ever will. I'm just a cruel, dodgy, misfit, stealing street-rat bully. Doing things to get a rep. Going places to actually get some friends. I wish I was like Sonic and Sonia. Talented. Popular. Kind. I will never be able to live up to them. If I'm the youngest then I've got to follow in their footsteps, right? Isn't that what I'm supposed to do? And here I am, a lowly little trash-can man, the drum-kit kid with no other talents, ruining my life with stolen vodka and strip clubs. That's just how I be, you know?

That's just how I be.


	45. Chapter 45

**\--Shadow POV--**

Finally, back into a place of my own for a week. A place where Silver's weird glowy thing won't disrupt my sleep. A place where I can sing to my heart's content and not get walked in on by that blue gumball son of a bitch. A place where I won't accidentally fall over Espio and almost impale myself with his horn whilst he's being invisible. This is home, it's less than two minutes away, and I like sleeping here. So why the fuck do I have to sleep over there?

Boarding school logic never fails to confuse me.

I think the only reason Ivo sent me there is so he can keep an eye on me at the same time as forcing me to stay out of his way. Because the longer I stay here, the more I pester him to show me what the hell he's hiding in that basement of his. Apparently I was hell for it when I was younger. I don't remember half of the things he tells me though, so I refuse to believe any of it unless he gives me video evidence. Though getting video evidence from the 1950s probably isn't very easy.

I give my bag a good kick under my bed, and kick it a little more when it doesn't go all the way under. Frustrated, I lay down on the floor and inspect the area under the bed. Nothing should have changed. Usually that bag goes in with one half-hearted shove, so somebody's been messing with my stuff.

I reach for my wind-up torch and spin the handle until the light stays on for longer than a split-second. I would've bought a normal torch but I decided to get this one instead because I liked the noise it makes. Completely impractical, but with enough sheer determination it'll do the job. The beam of yellowish light keeps shining for just long enough for me to notice one big difference under the bed. There's a box that I've never seen before, right where my bag should fit.

I throw the torch to the side, reach under the bed, and pull out a red, cardboard shoe box with a note taped to the top. I pause for a second, trying to figure out what the hell I just found, and pull the note off the box hoping there will be some answers in that. I unfold it, immediately recognize Gerald's scruffy cursive, and begin to read.

* * *

_Shadow,_

_I don't know when you'll find this, but when you do, note that all I did was shove this thing under your bed. I didn't move anything because I know how tetchy you get when I do that. I was going through the attic a bit ago and I found this box of Maria's old stuff that we salvaged from the Ark. I thought you might like to keep it all._

_Gerald._

* * *

I was never told about any of this. I thought all of her stuff got incinerated. Ivo said Gerald burnt it all because he couldn't bear Maria's loss. And I believed it and I hated them both for it for years. I shouldn't have believed it, I know I shouldn't, but when it involves Maria and I have nothing else to go on then what am I supposed to do?

_This must be some sort of joke..._

I lift the lid off the shoe box, and I'm flooded with new memory after new memory as I empty it item by item onto the floor. Maria's favorite blue short-sleeve jacket is what I remove first. This one garment alone is enough to tell me an entire story that I never knew even happened. A string of memories lost in the amnesia, and I've only just been able to recover them now. A Mobian Travel guide, a hand-drawn map of all the Ark's shortcuts, photo albums...

No. I can't deal with all of this. It's too much.

Where's Espio when you need him? If I'd had maybe shown a tiny bit more interest in his meditation instead of getting annoyed by the fact that he does it invisibly, I might have been compelled to learn how to do it too. My head continues filling with lost information, and I can't help but feel like my brain's going to explode. In a fit of internal rage, I throw everything back in the box and slam down the lid. And I find myself trying extremely hard not to cry.

Idiot. I'm the Ultimate Life Form, I don't cry.

I slowly re-open my eyes when my head clears, and find that I missed something. On the floor next to the box lies a tiny red tube. It must have fallen out of the box with something else, because I don't recall taking it out. I pick it up and sit on my bed, staring at the object, and slowly pulling it apart, with some level of force. Whatever liquid was inside it has dried and glued the lid to the tube. I don't recognize the object at all until I remove the lid completely, and with it comes a little red stick with a brush on the end.

_Maria's red eyeliner._

She loved this eyeliner. She would always wear it, but Gerald made her take it off for photographs or visitors to the Ark because it, according to him, made her look too fierce. One day, she put it on me so I could look like her. I'm not sure how a hedgehog could ever look like a human, but we were children. Anything was possible. And that red eyeliner suited me so much that Gerald changed my colour scheme from plain black to black and red.

How can one tiny cosmetic make me remember so much? How much am I missing from this picture now? If all it takes is a quick rummage through some old stuff to jog my memory, then why did I never think to do this before?

I always thought that everything about Maria was gone. Either burnt or shot or forgotten or rotting away in a grave somewhere. But my entire colour scheme... the fur that grows on my very skin... It's all Maria. I'm a living representation of Maria. No wonder Gerald and Ivo still keep me around, even after all the destruction I caused. If it wasn't for that eyeliner, Project Shadow would probably have ended with the coma.

I think red might be my new favourite colour.

I carefully tuck the eyeliner back into the box and slide it back under my bed. I'll go through all that again another day. As for now, I need to sleep. I like sleeping and this is where I can do it best. I don't even need to sleep. But I don't want Rouge telling me I'm being all cranky again.

"GRANDDAD!"

_Oh god, what's Ivo wanting him to do now?_

"GRANDDAD! I NEED YOU IN THE BASEMENT!"

I walk out of my room and onto the landing, so I can eavesdrop on Ivo and Gerald. I'm always eavesdropping on them. Might find out something useful.

"Ivo... I'm an old man. Can you not do this yourself?"

"IT'S A TWO MAN JOB! I NEED YOU TO READ SOME STUFF OUT SO I CAN TYPE IT UP! NOW GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!"

"Are you gonna erase my memory again?"

"SHUT UP. SHADOW IS HERE, REMEMBER?"

_What... what in the fucking fuck?_

This is why I eavesdrop. To find out things like that. I didn't think it was possible to hate Ivo any more than I do already - he's done some despicable things - but this just takes the cake. Using an old man, practically abusing his presence, and erasing his memory? He's treating Gerald like a robot. If I wasn't suspicious before, I am now.

I'm going in that basement at the next chance I get.


	46. Chapter 46

**\--Shadow POV--**

"Shadow?" Gerald shouts, poking his head around the door to the living room. "Ivo and I are going to the mall for a while. We'll be gone for a few hours so don't go stupid or anything."

I scoff in response. "You think _I_ would go stupid? You should be more worried about Cubot than me."

"Okay well... look after him."

I watch Gerald and Ivo walk out of the front door, close it, and hear them turn the key. There's a spare key under the rug in Gerald's room. He put it there so I wouldn't get all claustrophobic. I hate admitting that. If anybody asked, I wouldn't tell them. But that escape pod flashback... it still gets to me. If I'm locked in anywhere I just get brought back to that moment and then I'm in a terrible mood for the rest of the day and I bring everyone else down with me. I don't mean to, or want to. And fortunately, Gerald is understanding enough to put spare keys around the house. But he still never left keys for that goddamn basement. The thing doesn't even _have_ a key.

But I do have a few hours to figure out how to get into it.

I pause my video game and lay the controller on the sofa. I've been stuck on this puzzle for days. It looks simple enough - I've just got to use the blue and orange portal to move some boxes around - but then there's the blue bouncy slime and the orange speedy slime and the other weird white slime that lets you make more portals, and then you can combine all of the different types of slimes and then it gets even more complicated. Needless to say, I still have no idea what I'm doing.

I stand up and stretch my legs, then just stand around for a while, thinking of a plan. I'd need a distraction. Something to keep Orbot and Cubot busy while I invade the basement. What would take them a really long time, whilst not messing up anything in the house at all? I find myself listing things in my head that I could make them do, which would give me more than enough time to find out what Ivo's doing in the basement, and more importantly, what he's doing with Gerald.

"Orbot? Cubot? I need you," I shout, jogging into the kitchen and grabbing the first thing off the shelf I can get my hands on. I take a quick glance under the lid to identify the substance.

"What's the issue, boss?" Orbot asks.

"Right. Orbot, count the number of salt particles in this jar-"

"Zero."

"Okay. Wait, what?"

"I'm pretty sure that's sugar."

I yank the lid off the jar again and inspect the contents a little more carefully, and find that it is indeed sugar. "Okay, well, Orbot, count the number of _sugar_ particles in this jar," I start, slightly embarrassed that I was just outsmarted by a robot, and continue, "and Cubot, you count the number of granite particles in this worktop. Then multiply your answers together and divide that by the surface area of all of the Nitrogens in this room..."

They look at me for a second, probably more worried about my mental state than the counting.

"And then do that number to the power of the mass of the sun."

Orbot and Cubot begin to protest.

"What? That's going to take forever!"

"Why would you make us do that?"

I smile to myself as I leave the kitchen. "It passes the time. And I'm curious as to what the number is..." I lie, cracking up. I walk down the hallway and listen to Orbot and Cubot begin counting aloud. This really is going to take forever. All the better for me.

I arrive at the password protected door that leads down to the basement. Ivo is notoriously bad for his password security. I've forgotten the number of his accounts I've logged on to. His Twitter was probably the worst. I shudder to think about that god-forbidden page of the internet. Never again.

I decide to try to put in some of his more commonly used passwords. He rarely ever changes them.

_P-A-S-S-W-O-R-D_

The door beeps for a second, then the little light turns red.

"Access denied."

_E-G-G_

And then the light turns green.

"Access granted."

"Well that was easy," I say aloud, and then immediately regret it when I realize Orbot and Cubot might have heard me. I listen above the quiet whirring of the iron door opening, and I'm relieved to hear that they are still counting in the kitchen. I turn back to the basement, and hesitantly take the first few steps down the stairs.

It's dark. Very dark. There must be a light in here somewhere. I squint my eyes and attempt to let them adjust to the darkness, but nothing is revealed. I carefully take two more steps. As I place down my left foot on the sixth step, I feel something click beneath my foot. The room suddenly lights up, and I let out a quiet yelp when bright red lasers surround me. I carefully remove my shoelaces, being especially aware of where my limbs are going, and carefully pass the laces through a laser. My heart sinks when the laser slices it clean in two. I'm stuck here. Trapped on some pressure plate.

_Come on, Shadow, you're smart, right? Or at least... smarter than most? You can get out of this, right?_

I jump up and down on the plate, turning the lasers on and off repeatedly. Maybe if I jump forwards, I could jump through the lasers whilst they're turned off. I guess it's worth a try. How else am I going to get out of this? I take some deep breaths to calm my nerves, and brace myself for the jump.

I whisper a countdown to myself. "Three... two... one!"

I leap forwards, and the lasers turn off just in time to allow me to fly through them without being sliced like a loaf of bread. I land at the bottom of the stairs, in probably the least graceful way possible, and thank the non-existent gods that I'm still alive. I feel around the walls for the light switch, find it, and push it.

And then I see it. _Them_.

Nestled behind multiple layers of bulletproof glass sits the orange Chaos Emerald, glowing faintly, and having the chaos energy drained from it as fast as it is produced by Gerald's life-support system. And then, next to the cabinet, lies another Chaos Emerald, lazily strewn on the floor with various robotics and pieces of metal. All reflecting the Emerald's purple shine. When did we get this? I do not know.

I turn my attention to the laptop sitting on the desk in the middle of the basement. I lift the lid and reveal that the laptop is already logged on and running countless applications. I scroll through page after page of long-winded notes, maps, annotated diagrams, and stumble across a folder on the desktop labelled "World Domination".

I'm frozen on the spot. What have I just _found_? I can't just go now. I've gotten this far. I could have nearly died just by getting here. I need to see what this folder is all about.

I double-click on the shortcut and I'm faced with a screen-full of evil plans: A death-egg with a laser pointed directly at the moon, a sabotage of the interstellar amusement park, a time-eating machine existing within every possible dimension, a killer Biolizard, mind control guns, an attack on Soleanna-

_An attack on WHERE?_

I skim through the Soleanna texts and begin to tremble as I piece together everything I've just discovered. Most of it is in some sort of cryptic cipher, but enough of it is in standard English for me to be able to understand. Ivo used Gerald to help him with his plans, probably with the mind control guns, then erased his memory so he couldn't tell anyone. Ivo was the Robot Commander. Ivo was the Soleannan terrorist, and the robots located the purple Chaos Emerald for him so he wouldn't have to.

Should I... call the police? No. I can't do that. If Ivo and Gerald are arrested, then where do I go?

I'm startled by the sound of a car pulling into the drive somewhere above me. They're back.

I panic. I copy the "World Domination" folder and paste it into an email, and send it to my school email account so I can look through it again and maybe make an attempt at the cipher at a later date. I slam the lid down on the laptop, lunge to my right and grab the purple Chaos Emerald from the pile of junk, and leap back up the stairs, narrowly missing the sixth step. I set the door to close behind me, sprint to Gerald's room to get the spare key, and escape the house through the back door, not looking back. I'm going to hide the emerald. Two Chaos emeralds in one place is dangerous enough as it is, without Ivo being there too.


	47. Chapter 47

**\--Silver POV--**

I click some buttons on the strange-looking device and flinch as a bright light flashes in my eye. I rotate the object and observe the screen, and find a close-up image of my scrunched-up face centered in the middle.

"That's a camera," Vanilla informs.

"I know it's a camera, I just... don't know how to use it," I admit. We didn't have cameras of this kind in the future. Most of them were installed into watches. This one is big and bulky and heavy with more buttons than enough.

Vanilla takes the camera from me. "Here, let me show you."

I watch her twist the tube-looking thing on the front which I assume is the focus, and she aims the lens at Cheese the Chao.

"You focus the lens... line up the green line with the horizon... and then you click this button here to take the photograph."

The flash light flickers on, and then the shutters snap again, capturing the image of Cheese in the screen. Vanilla hands the camera back to me, and lets me have a go. I choose to take a photo of the plastic plants on the dining table. I squint through the eyepiece, focus the lens, and hold the camera steady as I push the button. Vanilla admires my photograph.

"Not bad, Silver, not at all bad."

For the next hour, I head outside to complete my Art assignment. I've been told to take photographs that relate to the artist I've who chosen to study. I head into the local woods via the path behind Number 12, and as soon as I'm certain that nobody can see me, I fly into the air. I hover near the tops of the trees, searching for something to photograph, and I'm in luck when I stumble across a river.

I chose to focus on plants that live near water. Just the fact that water exists in such an abundance here still never fails to fascinate me. I land beside the river, and watch the clear, gleaming liquid pouring down the gentle slopes, weaving around the rocks. This is the perfect place.

I take photograph after photograph of all of the weird little things growing around the river banks, and end up filling the camera's memory card to full. I'll sort through these photos later. There's not a whole lot of green plants, it is still February after all, but the ones I do find are worthy enough for me. I'll pick out the best ones, and draw them. I turn off the camera and hang it around my neck by the leather strap, then float back up into the treetops to head home. I fly west, but I'm stopped in my tracks when I see a flash of red and black beneath me. It whizzes back to the east, and comes to a halt behind a tree.

_Shadow._

I quietly perch myself at the top of the tree he's underneath, and watch him reach into his pocket, revealing the purple Chaos Emerald. The breath is sucked completely out of my lungs by the shock of it. How on earth did he get that? I dropped it in the fountain! Unless... unless Shadow is the terrorist.

_No, it can't be Shadow. There's got to be some other explanation._

Shadow holds the emerald in his hands, staring at it, almost in a trance. He lays it down on the ground and pushes it into a small gap between the roots, covering it with a layer of soil, before skating back towards the neighborhood. Maybe I won't have to steal from his house after all.

I hop back down the ground level and retrieve the glowing purple gem from the tree. I don't care how he got it, or why he had it. All I care about is going home. Back to the timeline where I belong. Maybe not with the right things happening in it, I mean, Iblis is long gone, but at least the year will be right. I just need to find the right time to go. Think about things.

I hold the emerald close to my chest and head back home, gliding in through my bedroom window. I catch my salt lamp with my foot and watch it tumble over onto the bed, then roll off it and onto the floor. I'll deal with that later. I just need to hide this emerald. I open storage box after storage box, trying to find some place where I can put this thing, but have no luck. Vanilla cleans in here. She's bound to find it. My only hope of hiding this emerald is to take it to school have have it in my suitcase. It's risky business, but people hide things all the time, and the staff aren't allowed to search our stuff unless they get suspicious. I think back to what Vanilla said to me on my first day of form with her. "Any trouble, and Dr. Robotnik will kick you straight out. So be on your best behavior."

I'm pretty sure "best behavior" doesn't involve sneaking illegal objects into school. But I have nowhere else to put this thing. I pull my case out from under my bed and tuck the emerald in between two pairs of trousers, and as a last-minute gesture, I throw a chunk of my salt-lamp in there too. Then I clean up the other chipped pieces of salt lamp from the floor and put the remainder back on the windowsill, and turn it on. Just to see if it still works. It's still just as beautiful. I guess it doesn't matter that a few pieces fell off it if it wasn't a regular shape to begin with. I turn off the lights and stand back against the door, admiring the lamp as the sun sets over Green Hill. Now I have two glowy things in my room. Lucky me.

**\--Espio POV--**

"ESPIOOOOOOO!"

I continue reading through my Physics essay for the fifth time tonight, still finding spelling errors. Whatever Charmy needs, it can't be too important. I don't want to leave him though, in case it _is_ important, but this is the first time I've ever had to pull an all-nighter for homework and I'm not wasting this time. Out of all the unrealistically tight deadlines that Robotnik has set, I think this is the first one that I know I'm not going to meet. He only set the homework online this morning, and he said nothing about it at school. Who the hell can write a ten-thousand word essay about the effects of magnetism in a single day?

"ESPIO! PLEASE, COME HERE, PLEASE!"

I sigh, and hit the save button. I can't leave him. It's three in the morning and this kid usually sleeps like a rock. Yawning, I trudge out of my room and head to Charmy's, where the bedroom door is ever so slightly open. Before I announce my presence, I stand against the wall and listen to the soft, hiccuping noises coming from inside.

_He's... crying?_

I open the door and run to the side of Charmy's bed, and he immediately throws his arms around me. I return the hug.

"I- I'm sorry, Charm. I couldn't come straight away," I admit.

"It's okay..." he says, between sharp breaths, rocking back and forth in my arms. "I just wanted to know that... you were still alive."

"...What?"

Charmy tries to take a deep breath, but he's still unable to stop crying. I hold him close to my chest, and rock with him. "I keep having nightmares... about you... fighting and... dying..."

_I swear to god... he shouldn't have been at that goddamn deathmatch..._

"You kept dying. It was all so real-"

"Charmy. I'm alive. I'm okay. It's just a dream. It's not real-"

"BUT IT FEELS LIKE IT!"

Charmy sobs onto my shoulder, clinging onto me with almost strangulatory force, but I don't mind the fact that I can barely breathe. If anything, it's stopping me from filling Raster's stomach with rocks and putting him through an industrial shredder. If I could do that... I would do that. Forget calm and disciplined. I'm sick of having this mask. If it wasn't for the Shinobi, I would still be my original self, and and I wouldn't have been tricked into an illegal deathmatch, and Charmy would be perfectly okay.

All of this... it all comes down to Charmy. Every bad thing that happens always ends with a bad thing happening to Charmy. Sure, being a ninja was a hobby for a while, not that I wanted to do it to start with, but I got pretty good at all of this ninja stuff. I may even consider it a lifestyle, but if being a ninja is going to damage my family, then I fucking quit.

"Espio...? Promise me you won't die," he chokes out.

He's been hurt enough. I don't think either of us are in the right state of mind to explain or learn the mechanics of mortality right now. I'll have to die at some point but... he's been hurt enough.

"I... I promise."

I tuck Charmy back into bed, and pat his head as he tries to get back to sleep. I stay by his bedside until I'm certain that he won't wake back up, and then head back to my room to finish my essay, though I know I won't get it done. I'm going to shove Robotnik's deadlines right where the sun doesn't shine. I'm not doing this.

I. Fucking. Quit.


	48. Chapter 48

**\--Shadow POV--**

All day. All day I've been wracking my brains as to what the hell Ivo has been doing to the point where I couldn't even concentrate in lessons. Espio had his first detention and I couldn't even find the thinking space to listen to his debate with Ivo. I couldn't even do math. I only got to take a quick look through the files back at home. I need to know more. I sit up in my bed, and check that everyone's asleep. Silver's glowing, Sonic's snoring. The only problem is Espio. I can never tell if he's asleep or awake. For all I know, he could just be meditating. I decide to take my chance.

I slowly rise from my bed and slip on my shoes, avoiding the creaky boards, and turn my head to look at the clock. 3am. The library should definitely be empty by now. This place is full of night owls. I can never be too sure. I creep out of the room, and look at Espio as I close the door. He hasn't moved at all. He's asleep.

I have to duck and dive around security cameras and follow the blind spots to make it to the Student Library. If there's one thing I can thank Manic for, it's his map of all the school's blind spots. He slotted it between a cupboard and a wall and I was lucky enough to find it. It's been wedged between my mattress and the bed frame since I found it, in case I'd ever need it. I carefully follow the shaded areas of the map, making quick dashes between blind spots, and slip into the library. The computer in the far corner is well nestled into a blind spot. I take a seat, and log on.

**\--Espio POV--**

_I react late. I barely hear the gong sound, and by the time it's registered that the deathmatch has begun, Bean's already sent a shuriken my way. I dive out of the firing line, and mentally slap myself. I need to get my head in the game._

_Logic has no place in Bean's fight. There are no tactics. Just wild throwing of metal and blades. Where there are no tactics, predicting the enemy's next move is impossible. The first few minutes is a grueling test of my agility. I dodge every weapon, with some of them coming way too close for comfort. I wait until Bean tires, and sink a knife into his leg._

_Now it's my turn to attack. I start off at a distance, whittling him down and chipping away at his surface until it's a mangled mess of blood and feathers, then I move closer. Our combat from then on is fairly even, despite Bean's injuries. Bean is physically stronger than I am, but I can go on for longer. He's a sprint and I'm a marathon. He settles for punches, and lands more on my face than I can count. I can feel the metallic taste of blood in my mouth and my vision begins to cloud, but the second Bean loses his streak, I pin him on the floor and make a break for his neck. One slice. One vein. And I win._

_An explosion. That's all it takes to send me flying off the side of the podium._

_I'm transported back to Locke's house through a whirlwind of green, bloodied feathers, and pinned onto a wall by some sort of invisible force. My eyes are pulled towards the television, stuck on the GHZNews channel, skipping over the same sentence over and over again, stuttering like a broken record._

_"Robotropolis Shinobi Clan terminated, all known members arrested."  
"Robotropolis Shinobi Clan terminated, all known members arrested."  
"Robotropolis Shinobi Clan terminated, all known members arrested."_

_I'm wrenched off the wall, and thrown against a door frame, and for a time, I'm free to move. I tiptoe through the house, wondering why I feel so light. Wondering why I feel so numb. Wondering why I can't talk. Scream. For help or for answers. The faint cry of a young boy bounces off the walls of the house, echoing around me. Echoing inside my head. I can't tell which one, but I attempt to follow the sound._

_It sounds like Charmy._

_I notice a red envelope on the floor near to the front door, and try to pick it up, but when I reach out my arm, I don't see it. I try to unvanish, try to divert my concentration to elsewhere, but to no avail. Am I even invisible? Do I even exist? I reach for the envelope again, and pull at it with all my might, but it doesn't leave the floor. I lean down, and read the label. Lacer Vaso. Telegram to Next of Kin. Notification of Death._

_"Hello?" I shout. "Hello? Is anyone here?"_

_I don't get an answer. Only the sound of the child, crying somewhere._

_It sounds like Charmy._

* * *

"You alright, Espio?"

I'm jolted awake by the voice of Sonic.

"...Espio? Were you asleep just then?" he asks. I can tell whether he's mocking me or he's trying to care.

"I- what? I mean, yeah. Why?"

"You were tossing a lot, and saying something about Charmy... whoever he is..."

"Oh. Yeah, it was just... a bad dream. That's all," I say, praying that Sonic won't dig any deeper.

"Sure, well, have you seen Shadow? He's not here."

I lean over the side of the bunk and look under Sonic's bed, taking advantage of Silver's glow to see, and find the bottom bunk empty. The clock on the wall shows 3:33 am. Where would Shadow be at this time of night? I shrug my shoulders at Sonic, and turn over to face the wall.

That was definitely Charmy crying. Nobody else back home cries like that. Father and Raster's voices are too deep to make that kind of noise, and Vector's a pretty emotional guy at the best of times, so I know for a fact it wasn't him either. As for Knuckles, I have no idea, but I can't imagine him sounding like that. It must have been Charmy. Is this how he'd have reacted to my death? That's the only explanation, right? I'm dead, blown up and impaled, and Father got a telegram.

_No, that can't be it, why would he get a telegram when he already knows I'm dead?_

I reach out behind me and pick up my cellphone. Pachacamac made all of the ninjas in the training center download a dream interpretation app to their phones. He said something about dreams being able to tell you more than just a story, but your future too. I type in various keywords that sum up the nightmare, and read every single analysis, but nothing makes any sense at all.

_I'm thinking too far into this. I need to let this go._

I shut down my phone and quietly place it back on the shelf next to me, carefully lining it up with the edges, shuffling it inwards until it sits exactly one finger-width from the edge on each side. I hate it when people come to clean in the dorms. They never leave my things in the right place. They don't do a lot, they just leave us a couple of dusters, vacuum, and let us get on with the rest of the cleaning ourselves. But they leave the dusters on the shelves and they knock things out of line. I've ranted to Vector and Knuckles about this on many an occasion, and neither of them understand how much it frustrates me. I might not show it, but a lot of frustration builds up in this brain of mine, and it's only a matter of time before I become seven or eight years old again.

Skipping Eggman's essay was probably the start of it. Until today, I'd never had a detention in my life. I would have gotten off a bit more lightly if I didn't argue with that dumbass for ten whole minutes about why his deadlines are so unreasonable. Swearing and all. I had the entire class behind me. It's probably the first time they've ever appreciated my existence, then _BAM_. Two hour detention.

I may have prevented a murder today. By using self-control. It's a very useful skill to have.


	49. Chapter 49

**\--Silver POV--**

I stare out of the window, and as every second goes by, I become more confused. Then the confusion turns into fear, and then terror. The white material falls from the sky faster every time I look at it, coating the ground with more and more white. What is this? Are the clouds falling out of the sky?

"Argh... Morning Silver... whatcha lookin' at?" Sonic yawns, somewhere behind me. He jumps out of the bed and stands next to me when I don't answer. "Uhh... Silver?"

"Is this another apocalypse? That white stuff?" I ask, half yelling.

"I- what? No, of course not, silly! Now quit playing games, you know what that is-" Sonic laughs.

I pin Sonic against the wall and stare right into his eyes. I'm not in the mood for jokes. "WHAT IS THIS?" I shout.

"It's only a bit of snow, Silver! Jesus Christ!" he protests, now in hysterics. "How do you not know what snow is?"

I start hyperventilating. "You'd better get fucking explaining before I put you out there!"

"You..." Sonic trails off. "Did you actually just _swear_?"

"No, I didn't- wait..."

"I'd never have thought a cute and innocent fluffy white hedgehog like you would ever swear, haha!"

"Don't call me cute."

Sonic puts his hands in the air. "Whoa, no homo, jees! What's wrong with you today?"

I fold my arms and turn away from Sonic, pacing to the other end of the dorm. "You still haven't explained what snow is."

"And I still can't believe you don't know! Where are you from? Pumpkin Hill?"

"Pumpkin _where_? Look, I'm not lying here-"

"Okay, okay! Snow is just rain but colder, and it freezes into cute little snowflakes in the air and sometimes it lands on the floor and doesn't melt and then it turns everything white!" he finally explains. "Will that do?"

"...Is that literally it?" I ask, hesitant to believe him.

He points to the computer. "Gooqle's right here if you wanna check."

"I'm fine, thanks."

I return to the windowsill, my breathing and heart rate returning to normal. Now I know what this is, I'm finding it... rather beautiful. It all looks so gentle.

"Sonic?" I ask. "Does it have to be cold for there to be snow?"

He returns by my side and stares out of the window with me, squinting through the morning sun's glare. "How about we go outside? I'll show you."

**\--Sonic POV--**

"You can pack this stuff into a ball and throw it at people you don't like," I explain, bending down to grab a handful of snow.

"Isn't that a bit mean?" Silver asks.

"Nah," I say, eyeing my demonstration target. "It's just a bit of fun..."

I pull my hand behind my head and get ready to pound my enemy with snowballs. I know it won't end well, though, but what can I say? It'll be an adventure. What you see is what you get. Just a guy that loves adventure!

"...and I'll adventure into YOUR ASS!" I shout, throwing the snowball right at Eggman's backside and hitting the left cheek square on, before grabbing Silver and sprinting behind the dorm block. "Oh by the way, Silver, I start, "my name's not actually Sonic."

He props himself up against the wall, trying not to fall over. "What... is it... then?"

"Ogilvie Maurice Felgate. But I got nicknamed to Sonic because... well, you just saw why. Check this out!"

I dash back out from behind the building, fast enough for me to no longer be able to hear myself running, and scoop up an armful of snow. With every running step, I kick some more of the glorious substance at Eggman, and finish by leaping up in the air and dumping the snow on his head. I return to the hiding place, performing a 720 on the way to touchdown.

"That... was... EPIC!" Silver shouts.

"Hey, keep it down! I don't wanna get caught-"

I'm cut off by a low growling noise coming from the mound of snow that I just created, and shrink back as a fist bursts out of the top.

"FELGATE!"

* * *

_Snowy weather is not a valid excuse for burying unsuspecting headmasters._   
_Snowy weather is not a valid excuse for burying unsuspecting headmasters._

I sit in Eggman's office next to Silver, the two of us copying out line after line of discipline until the thousand is over. I look over my shoulder whilst Eggman's head is turned to see what Silver is writing.

_Idiots burying unsuspecting headmasters in snow is not "epic"._

"This is going to take forever," I complain.

"So is drying out my clothes!" Eggman shouts, poking his head around the side of the cupboard, and shaking his clothes. "Now keep writing."

"Um, sir...?" Silver asks, shielding his eyes. "It's not necessary or wise to be naked. Especially not whilst we're here-"

"It's not necessary or wise for you two to be mucking about! Now write your goddamn lines before I double that thousand to two!"

I roll my eyes and pull my cellphone out of my pocket, and head into the group chat. I start a DM with Espio.

* * *

 **BlueBlur:** Hey Espio, how did you survive detention with Egghead?

 **Dead_Inside:** You doing lines?

 **BlueBlur:** Yep. It's a new thing, he's been doing it for a few months now and it kills me every time. Big sad.

 **Dead_Inside:** Where are you sat?

 **BlueBlur:** Near the desk...?

 **Dead_Inside:** Get the tape. Tape a shitload of pencils together and write 6 lines at once.

 **BlueBlur:** xD Lol wth are you crazy? I'll get caught!

 **Dead_Inside:** Worked for me. Eggman has a worse attention span than Knuckles. Don't worry.

 **BlueBlur:** K I'll try it. Btw what's with the username?

 **Dead_Inside:** I've had a rough week. Don't ask.

 **BlueBlur:** I'm asking.

 **Dead_Inside:** Have you taped the pencils yet?

 **BlueBlur:** Ugh fiiiiiine I won't ask ffs xD

* * *

I slip my phone back into my pocket and reach for the tape and a handful of pencils. I line them all up on the desk and press some tape on them, then begin to write. And it works. I'm finished with my one thousand lines before the hour is up. Espio is way past smart. I grab my bag and head to the door, leaving the lines on Eggman's desk, and when I pass Silver I quietly slip the pencils onto the desk. He looks at me, confused, and I make a writing motion with my hand. He'll figure out what to do.


	50. Chapter 50

**\--Espio POV--**

The creak of a floorboard. That's it. That's the only reason I'm awake and following Shadow through the school. I watch him follow some strange map, silently leaping a few meters at a time. I had to follow him. Nobody gets up at 3am to sneak around a boarding school with a hand-drawn map. My detective instincts swamp my mind as I creep along behind him, remaining invisible. I want to know what he's doing. I'll do anything to take my mind off the Shinobi situation, even if I have to venture out after dark hours. I'm tempted to turn back when I'm faced with a route through the school that I've never taken before, but I still I stalk Shadow's every move, and the two of us eventually end up in the student library. I press myself against a wall as Shadow gets dangerously close to me, and I turn my head upwards and hold my breath as he walks under my horn to the far desk. I slowly climb up the wall and crawl across the ceiling, and settle behind Shadow as he logs on to a computer.

I need to keep my breathing slow. Keeping myself on a ceiling is tiring enough without having to stay invisible, but I must keep my breathing slow. I turn myself so my back is stuck to the ceiling and silently find the best angle for reading over Shadow's shoulder.

I'll do anything to distract myself from this harrowing world. What I would give to have an off-switch for my brain. I think too much and I think too deeply, about all of these harrowing things. That's the problem, I think. It's a dangerous combination, especially when meditation just won't cut it anymore. I'm not being nosy. I just need to find something else to think about before I lose my mind.

That is, if I haven't lost it already.

I focus my eyes on the screen, following the cursor everywhere it goes. He clicks things. Opens files. Searches for documents. Scrolls. I move myself closer until I can see the text clearly. And then I wish I'd stayed in bed and dreamt of dying again instead.

Intricate diagrams line the sides of the documents, with annotations springing off at every angle, some of them in some strange language, but enough of it is understandable for me to be able to form a picture. Scanned-in sketches, bullet-points, paragraphs, words that send chills down my spine, mind-bending concepts, places to explore, loop-holes in the law... all of it in Shadow's documents, with the title of "World Domination". And then he clicks onto a document about the Soleanna attacks. For a second, I forget that I need to be quiet.

"Holy shit..."

He spins around, and stares directly between my eyes, but he can't see me. I pull myself upwards until I'm flat on the ceiling, and the only sounds that can be heard are the light whirring of the computer fan and Shadow, breathing fast and creaking the swivel chair as he slowly turns back around.

"Who's there?" he whispers, looking around him, not knowing where to look.

I can't let this slide. I only came here for a distraction. I wasn't expecting to find anything like this. What explanation is there for this? I bet somebody like Shadow is perfectly capable of coming up with all of this. He's smart enough. Could he... have been the terrorist?

_No, of course not. How could a fourteen-year-old do something like that?_

It's no use. I can't go around knowing that Shadow has these files and not try to figure out why. I'll ask Shadow. He must know I'm here. I'm the only person in the school who could ambush anyone by saying "holy shit" right behind their fucking head with the deepest fucking voice in the whole year group and not be seen. He knows I'm here. Tomorrow, I'm going to find out what Shadow's doing. I'm gonna make him talk.

**\--Silver POV--**

_"Silver!"_

_"Blaze, what's wrong?"_

_"He's appeared again!"_

_I look in the direction that Blaze is pointing in with an angry scowl. Between two flaking skyscrapers in the lava pool, a spiral or orange rock and fire slowly begins to rise. The mass pulls itself together into a basic form. Iblis is back again. I give Blaze a knowing look, and fly towards the creature. She follows, parkouring over the remains of old cars. We travel through Crisis City, some of the residents recognizing us and telling us to be careful. We are the only ones who even try to defeat Iblis anymore. We don't accept defeat. We don't lose hope._

_We run right up to the cliff-edge and confront Iblis, who emerges from the fire tornado, ready to attack._

_"Come on, you monster!" I shout. He roars._

_I gather a mindful of rocks and throw them at Iblis one by one, ducking and diving, choosing the right time, and searching for new weak spots. Blaze runs around beneath me, catching fire and using her own flames to combat his. Fight fire with fire. That's what she stands by. Together, we shred Iblis, and watch him sink into the lava pool once again. I return to the ground, and stand next to my exhausted best friend._

_"Looks like we stopped it for now," she pants._

_"But he'll just rise up from his ashes again," I reply, slamming my fist on a brick wall in frustration. "What's the point of all this? It'll never end!"_

_"Calm down, Silver."_

_"Then tell me what we should do. How can we completely destroy Iblis?"_

_I turn around, trying to make eye-contact with Blaze, but she turns away. Arms folded, defeated._

_"We don't," she admits. "We don't destroy him. We can't destroy him. We just protect the people."_

_"And who will protect them when we are gone?" I question, striding in front of her and forcing her to look me in the eyes. "Who will pass on our messages of hope when we are gone?"_

_"I don't know, Silver. we just need to keep doing what we are doing until we can destroy Iblis. Promise me that's what you'll do? If I can't fight with you, will you continue to fight? For the people?"_

_"What are you implying?"_

_"For the people, Silver?"_

_Blaze rests her hands on my shoulders, and in this moment, I realize how much I need her. "Should you get hurt... I will continue to fight. For the people."_

_"You won't give up, or lose hope, or leave us behind? Because you had me worried just then."_

_"Believe me, Blaze. I won't give up."_

_She smiles, and lets go. I won't let her down._


	51. Chapter 51

**\--Shadow POV--**

I drag my feet along the floor through the half-melted snow on the way to Geography class, leaving elongated footprint trails behind me. I watch the gray liquid fold over the ends of my shoes, chilling my toes and flowing away sideways, like cooling lava weaving around rocks. I pull my coat around me, and throw the hood over my head, blocking out the glaring sunlight and transporting my brain into its own little world. Who needs people, when you've got a brain of your own, and the remains of a snowstorm at your feet?

"Oh, Shadow, there you are."

_Ugh, can I have ANY time to myself these days?_

Reluctantly, I look up from my feet and have to immediately stop in my tracks to avoid walking straight into Espio.

"I tried to find you first thing this morning but I overslept and you'd already gone," he scowls. "Would you like to know why I overslept?"

"Nope," I say, quickly and quietly, and try to walk around Espio, only to be stopped again.

"Wrong answer, try again. And no, I won't let you get past until you get the answer right."

"And what if I just Chaos Blast you to the other end of the school?"

"Then you'll get a shuriken to the eye."

I roll my eyes, and successfully push past him this time. "You're forgetting that I'm the ultimate life form, Espio."

"No I'm not 'forgetting', and that's exactly why I need to talk to you, dammit!"

"Hot-headed, much... Now I see what you mean," I mumble to myself, slowly turning back around to face the chameleon, now leaning against the lamp post, arms folded. Eyes like lasers. What could I have possibly done to piss _him_ off? I've only ever been nice to him.

_He knows, doesn't he. That motherfucker must have followed me to the library last night and hid in plain sight right behind me. There's no other explanation for the voice. There's no other explanation for him acting like this._

"Well Espio, I can't fault your ninja abilities, that's for sure," I say to him, smirking slightly, waiting for a reaction.

His face changes from one of interrogation to confusion. "How did... what? How did you know?"

"It's pretty damn obvious when you start hearing strange voices when there's nobody around, then the seemingly calm and collected chameleon starts yelling at you the next day. Why in the fuck did you follow me?"

"Why in the fuck are you plotting to destroy the planet?"

" _And_ he jumps to conclusions? Hmph. You said you grew out of this."

"Answer me, you fucking terrorist!"

_Too far, you little shit. Too far._

I spin around and grab Espio by the shoulders, thrusting him back into the lamp post, and hold him there for a few seconds whilst I re-gain control over myself. Control that he obviously doesn't have. Once I'm calm enough, I let him go.

"Those files don't belong to me."

Espio rubs his shoulders. "Well then who do they belong to?"

"Ivo. They all belong to Ivo."

"Then why do you have them?"

I hesitate, and wonder how I'm going to put all of this into words that he'll believe. I absent-mindedly look in the other direction, thinking hard for a way to explain this. It takes a few seconds for me to snap myself back into reality. I'm about to explain when a speck of purple light catches my eye.

"Don't tell me you're lying-"

"Shut up. Shut up Espio, I've just seen something."

I frantically look past the Communication block, scanning the foliage behind the fences, searching for another sign of the purple. Espio comes up beside me, wondering what I'm looking at, and begins looking for something strange too.

"Shadow-"

"I said shut up-"

"Shadow is that Silver?"

He points to a small opening in the trees, just behind the slightly open gate. He doesn't wait for an answer, and turns invisible as he creeps up to the gap, and the leaves appear to move on their own. A few seconds pass, and then I hear mad rustling of leaves and branches before Silver is dragged out of the grove by some invisible force. Espio unvanishes.

"Shadow, is this what you were looking at- Hey, quit fighting! What are you doing hiding in a bush with a Chaos emerald anyway?" He shouts, above Silver's protests.

I watch Espio snatch a purple object from Silver's pocket and put it behind his back, and clasp a few ninja stars in his other hand.

"This is some real intricate joke you've got going here. You two had better explain yourselves," he says, looking between us, ready to strike if one of us should run.

I'm the first to speak. "I have nothing to explain, Espio, and this is not a joke. The files aren't mine. I found them on Ivo's computer and emailed them to myself so I could have some more time looking through them. What I want to know..." I trail off, looking closely at the object behind Espio's back, "is how Silver got that emerald."

Silver stays silent, staring at me. If he's going to try a stand-off with me, he should go and forget it. I'm not playing these games. I catch his eye flicking to Espio for a split-second, and then he turns away from me and throws the blue light towards him, lifting him off the ground. I watch in amazement as he conjures a translucent, blue lasso, and prizes the emerald from Espio's hands in mid-air, and catches it. I dive under Espio as he falls to the ground. I don't give him the opportunity to use me to steady himself though. I'm already on my way to Silver by the time he realizes I could have just saved him from breaking his legs.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with that emerald?" I growl.

"I need it to go home!"

"Nonsense."

"I'm from the future!"

"Nonsense!"

"LET ME EXPLAIN, FOR CHAOS' SAKE!"

"...Alright then, fine!" I say. "Explain."

Silver takes a deep breath, and clutches the emerald in his hands. "I'm from an apocalyptic future. It was my job to protect the people from Iblis and I failed. I tried so hard to stop Iblis, and I failed. So I came to the past. I didn't mean to change the past, I really didn't, but I showed up out the other side of the time portal in Soleanna just as the attacks were happening, and the attacker got hold of this emerald and somehow that caused Princess Elise to commit suicide and stop Iblis before he even started. And don't you forget that you had this emerald, Shadow. You had something to do with the attacks and I know it-"

"You changed the past? And what's Iblis?"

He shakes his head. "It... it doesn't matter. All I know is that the future is safe now. I'm going home."

He raises the emerald into the air, and before he can say those words, I swipe it from his hands. "Oh no you don't! If you can change the past once, what's stopping you from doing it again? And again, and again? This is dangerous, Silver!"

"So is you getting in my way!"

Silver leaps onto me, and grabs the emerald, holding onto it at the same time as me. He ties me up in his blue string, binding my arms in place. I barely hear him activate the emerald, and only realize that he has done so when a portal appears in front of him. He looks back to me, and releases me.

"I'm going home, Shadow, whether you like it or not."

I stagger to my feet, and look back at Espio, watching him stare at us with utter disbelief. I can't believe what I'm seeing either. All I know is that I have to stop Silver. I lunge forward and attempt to grab his arm, but I miss. Time appears to slow down as I fall forwards into the portal. I reach back and grapple Silver's coat, and pull him through with me. We fall in slow motion, through a tunnel of swirling colours and shapes. I reach for the edge, and scream out in frustration as the tunnel closes behind us, right before my fingertips. But I don't hear my scream. It doesn't exist. Nothing exists until Silver and I fall out of the tunnel to the other side.


	52. Chapter 52

**\--Shadow POV--**

We're launched out of the portal and tumble over eachother on the white concrete. I land with Silver on top of me. It takes a moment for me to realise the position we're in, and I throw him off me in disgust. I stand, carelessly brush the concrete dust off my trousers and look out at the world around me. We're on the top of a tall building, overlooking a bustling city. A bigger city than Green Hill Zone ever had. Full of networks of tubes with car-looking things inside, and plasma screens on the sides of every skyscraper. A large sign in the distance catches me eye - 'Welcome to Station Square'.

I turn back to look at Silver, who's been staring at me the entire time.

"Don't get mad at me," he says, arms folded and tapping his foot. "You're the one who threw yourself in here."

I look at him in disbelief for a couple of seconds, questioning his sanity. Don't get mad? _Don't get mad_? Who do you think I am, Silver? To forgive and forget something like this, this quickly? Yet, still, I force myself to remain calm and step towards him.

"Give me that emerald," I ask, firmly.

"No."

I smirk, and mimic Silver. "I need it to go home."

"Well that's tough," Silver scowls. "It's your own fault that you're here in the first place."

"You little shit, I was trying to stop you from destroying time!"

"And now you're destroying it with me."

I lose it with Silver, and lunge towards him, making a break for the emerald in his hands. He runs across the building's roof, and I follow, unlocking my inhibitor rings as I give chase. I throw them onto the floor, and charge all of the Chaos energy in my body, but before I can spear Silver, he pins me on the floor with the Blue. He wraps the Blue around me, constricting my airways, restricting my movements. But what he doesn't know is that I don't need air to breathe.

I've been thrown out of a spacecraft in nothing but a leaky, glass pod. I've survived gunshots and explosions during my unpaid work for the GUN. I can manage a measly little half-pint like him any day.

I break the Blue with a Chaos Blast, and float above Silver, glowing red.

"If you think you can beat me with your Blue, you'd better think again," I growl.

"It's called 'Psychokinesis'. Get it right," he replies, with similar aggressiveness. "And I can do a lot more with it than that."

Silver picks up a selection of things from the city floor with his Psychokinesis and floats them up to the top of the building, and begins to fire them at me, one by one. I dodge every object, destroying them with Chaos Spears and the occasional Homing Attack when they get too close. When Silver loses concentration for a second, I snatch the opportunity to Spear him in the throat. I land gently back on the ground beside him, watching him lean over and cough a few times, spewing his crimson blood on the roof, staining the concrete and reflecting the sun. I grip his hand and twist his wrist to free the purple Chaos emerald, and secure it in my coat pocket. Silver looks up at me, breathing coarsely, and with a final burst of energy in his eyes, he leaps towards me. I calmly pull the emerald back out of my pocket, and with a simple "Chaos Control", I teleport behind him and kick him square in the head.

He falls to the ground, smacking his forehead on the concrete, and a second serving of blood begins pooling around his head. I walk in a circle around him, this motherfucker, leaving red marks in my trail from the blood on my shoes. Blood fresh from the crack in Silver's head, leaking and oozing onto the ground. I've seen worse. I make it back around to his front, and crouch down to his level, picking up my inhibitor rings, not breaking my stare once. He opens his eyes, desperately fighting the tears that are so obviously in there, sat in front of the amber, just waiting to spill out onto his cheeks. He deserves this. He's a danger to this world. If I have to use violence to stop Silver from destroying everything, then that's what I'll do. But there's one thing I need to know from him.

"Silver, how many years did we travel?" I ask, politely.

"You psycho..." he whispers. "Why would I tell you?"

I kick him onto his back and push my foot onto his chest. "I'm keeping you alive, so unless you want more pain, you'd better fucking answer me. And make it the truth."

"...Two hundred years," he chokes out. "We went... two hundred years..."

"To the day?" He doesn't answer. "TO THE DAY?"

Silver makes a muffled noise, which sounds a bit like a yes. I step off him, and make sure he can see me open a time portal. The one Chaos emerald itself isn't enough on its own, but with the extra energy from myself, it will suffice. Two hundred years, to the day. I turn to face the portal.

"If you show you're face in the past again, I'll personally make sure that you don't get off so easy, Silver boy," I whisper. Less to Silver, and more to myself. I step into the portal, not turning back. I'll never turn back. I'll never turn that way. No matter how life tries to face me, I'll turn the other way. And maybe leave destruction in my path if necessary.

**\--Espio POV--**

Forget Computer Science. And maybe the rest of the day. Forget it. Why is it that I get tied up in everything? I'd be having a much better day if I decided just to be bland last night and wallow in my own self-pity than to actually try to use my brain. My stupid, stupid brain. It can't even figure out what the hell happened to Shadow and Silver just now. I get that I'm smart. And I'm logical. But things like this make me completely useless. Just knowing your shit and being logical doesn't help in an illogical situation like this.

I lean against the Communication wall and stare at the area where the portal was. I've been staring for the last ten minutes. It was like the world just had a tear in it. And... that blue stuff that Silver did, what was all that about?

_Stop thinking. Just stop. You're brain's broken enough as it is._

_I'm a part-time detective._

_Exactly. Part-time. Stop it. You're also a ninja but you don't do that shit anymore, do you?_

_None of that was my fault._

_None of this is your fault either._

_..._

None of this is my fault. I didn't ask to be a ninja. I didn't ask to be part of an illegal organisation. I didn't ask for Knuckles to hit his head during the power cut that I didn't ask for. I didn't ask to be signed up for a deathmatch that I felt pressured into agreeing to because of the person I didn't ask to train with. I didn't ask for Charmy to come with me. I didn't ask to be bullied by 4D. I didn't ask Shadow to raid Robotnik's home laptop. I didn't ask Silver to potentially send me flying into a wall. I've just always been in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I didn't ask for that either.

I'm in the clear. I'm a perfectly okay person.

The world tears again into another portal, and Shadow falls out onto me. I attempt to catch him, but he still ends up on the floor.

"What the hell happened?" I ask, pulling him back up. Then I notice his shoes. "Shadow... your shoes-"

"I know it looks bad. He wouldn't give me the emerald so I had to fight him for it."

"You don't say..."

Shadow begins kicking the snowy sludge around, cleaning the blood off his shoes and mixing it in. There's not enough blood for the liquid to turn red, but still enough to discolor it slightly.

"What did you do to him?" I ask.

"He started throwing stuff at me with his Psychokinesis or whatever he called it so I kicked him in the head."

"What, and you just _left_ him?"

"He's not gonna be doing any more time travel in that state. Don't worry, he's alive. He's just a bit broken up in the neck."

"This is why I was worried about those files. You're capable of everything in those-"

"For the last time, Espio! They're not mine!"

There's a long silence.

"Well then what are you gonna do about it? Are you gonna do the sensible thing?"

"Which is?"

"Call the police, maybe?"

Shadow sighs, and looks down to the ground. "I would, but Ivo's literally the only person keeping Gerald and I in a home. As much as I hate him, and hate what he's doing, we're relying on him to keep us off the damn streets. And if I have the files too, the police are gonna suspect me as well. And I know I don't like thinking about those situations so I haven't really thought about them at all."

"So what are we gonna do?"

"We?" Shadow asks, surprised. "What are _we_ gonna do? Since when was there a 'we'?"

"Since now." Shadow looks confused, and I don't blame him. We're barely even friends. But if I know that Robotnik's trying to take over the world, then I ought to do something about it. "I'm helping you sort this out, Shadow, whether you like it not."

He nods his head, giving in. I am involved in this, he can't deny it. As a last-minute thought, he turns around and throws the Chaos emerald back into the woods. I don't want it either. I don't want either of us to be held responsible when something goes horribly wrong.


	53. Chapter 53

**\--Tails POV--**

I look down at my bowl of pasta and keep trying to convince myself to eat, but my mind keeps drifting elsewhere. I take another glance over my left shoulder and absent-mindedly stare at the girl sat alone on the table behind me. This girl has been confusing me for months.

_No, not "girl". This "girl" has a name. Such a dreamy, confusing name..._

Cosmo. It reminds me of space. An open universe. Where everything is filled with nothing. My mind is definitely filled with something when I think about Cosmo, but I'm not sure what it is. It takes over everything. So... is it nothing? I don't know. I tear my eyes away from her. My pasta is going cold.

"You okay there, Buddy?"

_Not now, Sonic._

What could this possibly be? I've never felt anything like this before. I get all nervous when she talks to me, but when she's not talking to me then I wish that she would.

"Buddy?"

There are so many things that I like about Cosmo. Her name, her voice, the way she walks, the way she talks, her personality, not that I know much about it, but I know I'm going to like it when I do.

"Tails? Mobius to Tails!"

I'm snapped out of my trance by Sonic waving his hands in front of my face. I sit up and smile, trying to hide my confusion. And failing.

"What's the matter, Buddy? You look a little on-edge," Sonic asks, showing genuine concern. Concern that I still dismiss as nothing.

"Nothing's wrong, Sonic."

"Come on, Tails, I can read you like a book. What's wrong?"

"If you can read me like a book, then how about you tell me?"

"Wow, you're sounding like Shadow..." he laughs. "Well, I've seen you look across to Cosmo a few times and-"

"Stop right there."

"-I think you've got a crush!~" he teases.

"What? No, of course not!"

"Well than what is it?"

"Uhm..." I trail off, struggling to think of a substitute problem. He's got me good.

"You've got a crush on Cosmo," Sonic concludes, confidently. I'm ashamed to admit that he might be right. He continues, "Awh, come on, little Buddy! Don't look so down about it. Tell you what..."

Sonic looks past me at Cosmo, who is still sat alone, and smiles to himself.

"She's alone now, so... how about you go ask her out?"

I raise my hands in protest. "What? No, I can't do that! I don't know what to say to her and... what if I mess this up?"

Sonic gestures for me to lean close to him and he starts whispering various tips and tricks into my ear. And I take mental notes like my life depends on this moment. Sonic must know what he's talking about. He's dated a lot of girls. Sally, Amy, Madonna, Mina... the list goes on. Then Sonic lightly pushes my off my chair and waves me towards Cosmo. I slowly start walking, and look back just before I get to her. Sonic winks at me. I've got this.

My heartbeat quickens to the nth degree and my entire body begins to tingle. I try to make myself known, but my voice doesn't appear to be working.

_Come on, Tails, it's now or never!_

"...Cosmo?"

She turns around and looks at me. God... those eyes...

"What is it, Tails?"

I take a deep breath. "Well, I was just-"

"Hello?"

Cosmo and I turn around, and see a tall blue chameleon stood over us. Cosmo tries to get him to leave.

"Not now, Valdez-"

"Now why is this nerd trying to talk to you, Coz?"

Cosmo smiles. "Well, he's allowed to talk to me, isn't he?"

Valdez folds his arms and turns to the side. "Not if he's gonna be hitting on you, he's not. Nobody hits on my girlfriend."

And at that moment, my heart shatters into a billion pieces. Crushed under the weight of the truth. Cosmo already has a boyfriend. I shake my head, and walk away as fast as I can, ignoring Cosmo's questions. I need to get out of here.

_Dammit, Tails, she probably hates you now. She thinks you're some sort of weirdo freak. That's got to be it. Of course this was never going to work._

I speed-walk back to Sonic's table, and sit down next to him, avoiding his anticipating gaze.

"So? How'd it go?" he asks, excitedly. "...Buddy?"

"She already has a boyfriend," I almost shout. I sigh hard, and stab the now cold pasta with my fork, wishing the pasta was me. "She wouldn't want me anyway," I continue. "I'm a nerd. I'm freakish. I'm fat-"

"Miles Tails Prower, you may be a nerd sometimes, but you are NOT freakish OR fat! You hear me?"

"Look me in the eyes and say that again."

I stare into Sonic's eyes, and feel the tears begin to spill down my face when he hesitates. I turn away, and cover my face with my hands. Just in case Cosmo would see me crying.

"I'm a freak, Sonic," I cry. "Everyone hates me. I don't belong here. Not even Manic wants me around."

He still doesn't respond. He's agreeing with me. He agrees that I'm freakish and fat. He's agreeing with me.

I begin to get flashback after flashback of all the times I've ever been rejected. Singled out. Straight-up bullied for the things that I can't help. I can't help having this extra tail. I can't help being too smart for my own good. Why can't people just leave eachother alone, and let them fit in? What does it even mean to fit in? You've got to be the normalest of normal? But what is normal? It's not me, that's what. And I thought Sonic would help me. Not lie. Not say that I'm not the things that I am. Not even Sonic wants me.

I guess that's going a little far. Of course he wants me. He's the one who convinced Aleena to let me stay at the palace. He was impressed that I could keep up with him when I found him running through the other end of Green Hill Zone. The East side of Green Hill Zone. Not the West. The West has only ever brought me problems. Like this place. Green Hill City. The root of all the problems. The home of all the mistakes.

Sonic and I sit in silence for the rest of the Lunch break. He's probably feeling guilty. If he can read me like a book, then he'll know what I'm thinking. That all of a sudden I hate him. No, not hate. Hate is a strong word. He'll know that I'm disappointed in him. That he lied to me this whole time. Every time I told him that I thought I was nerdy, or freakish, or fat, he always supported me. Told me not to worry about those minor things. We'd run somewhere. He'd make me happy. He'd lie.


	54. Chapter 54

**\--Shadow POV--**

I wonder how long it will take for the mysterious disappearance of a student to show up on the news? Probably forever. With the state the media's in right now, they probably wouldn't even care. That might be a good thing for me but I still can't help feeling... guilty? Could I possibly feel guilty for preventing a kid from potentially destroying time as we know it?

Argh. Who cares. I did what I had to.

I continue sorting through my cupboard and tossing all the clothes I don't want anymore to the side for now. I told Rouge I might let her borrow some of my old jeans so she can DIY them into something that someone might actually wear. But I didn't think parting with my old clothes would be so time-consuming. I settle on the two pairs of jeans I've put on the floor already and leave the rest to another day. I don't even have that much stuff but it takes forever to sort through it all. I pick up the jeans and head to dorm 4E, and knock on the door.

"Sonia, is that you?" Rouge shouts.

"Close enough," I reply, sarcastically. "I've got the jeans you wanted."

"Are they Hot Topic?"

"Hmph. What else would they be?"

Rouge pokes her head around the door, and I thrust the jeans into her hand. "What do you want with Sonia, anyway?"

She turns away, blushing slightly. "Well um... I asked her to go ask Knuckles out for me, haha, I'm not sure if she has..."

"You know what, Rouge? Espio's been letting me in on some little secrets and he let slip that Knuckles is absolutely head-over-heels for you, so I wouldn't worry about getting Sonia to go get him for you," I explain, with a grin forming on my face. I'm not lying either. Since Espio came to 4B, he's become very talkative, and it's that type of talkative that I don't really mind so much. The type that's actually semi-interesting.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Ask Espio if you don't believe me."

I watch Rouge gently fold the jeans and place them on her bed, and slowly leave 4E, probably wondering why I never told her sooner. I didn't even know she had a thing for that dumb Echidna until just now. In fact, I was fully convinced that she hated him. All the more amusing for the both of us when I eventually force Rouge to confess. Rouge follows me across the corridor to 4D, and I gesture for her to go in front of me.

"Ladies first," I tease. She gives me the middle finger and lightly taps at the door.

"WHADDIZIT?" I hear Vector shout, through the door. "IT'D BETTEH NOT BE SCOURGE OUTTA DAT DOOR-"

"I'd like to speak to Espio!" Rouge shouts.

A series of "Who is it?"s and "You get the door!"s and "I'm trying to sleep, it's early!"s are muttered behind the wall, then some shuffling, before a very sleepy-looking Espio pulls the door open. The only reason he's in there is because I kicked him out this morning so I could sort through my stuff at about 4am. He wasn't too happy with me. He looks from Rouge, to me, then back to Rouge again.

"What do you want to speak to me about-"

"ACHOO!"

"Shut da hell up, Knuckles! Yeh sneezes are hella loud-"

"I do believe it's 'bless you'-"

"I'm trying to talk to Rouge here, you two!"

"On second thoughts..." Rouge cuts off, looking at Knuckles. "Espio... come with me, I have some questions."

"Right..."

He slowly nods his head and comes out of the dorm. When Rouge turns her back, I give Espio a quick nudge and whisper, "It's about Knuckles." He mouths 'This should be fun', and smiles.

"So, Espio... Is it true that Mr. Knucklehead has a crush on me?" Rouge asks, folding her arms and tilting her head, expecting the truth and nothing but the truth.

"Indeed it is, but why would you need to know?" Espio answers, in the same manner. The conversation continues, back and forth, with Espio slowly drilling into the details of Rouge's crush on Knuckles that we didn't even know she had. I just stand back and grin. I don't care if Rouge is my best friend. I love watching her squirm like this, and the fact that Espio somehow knows exactly what I want him to do is making it very difficult for me not to laugh. I can't laugh now. It's so out of character. People would think I'm drunk if I suddenly laughed, not to mention Rouge would probably stab in the eye me with those nails of hers. That's how little humor there is in this place, until Espio and Rouge show up. I don't know what it is about those two. I can almost be myself.

**\--Knuckles POV--**

"Actualleh... You sneezin' has given us a real good opportunity, Knux."

"You think? It's four thirty in the morning and I have a cold. What sort of opportunity could we possibly have?"

"Espio ain't 'ere."

I suddenly open my eyes, then sit up to look at the calendar, but my vision swirls, preventing me from reading the dates. Whatever, I don't need the calendar. I flop back down onto my bed, and wrack my brains at to what the day of the week March 6th could possibly fall on. I end up having to count on my fingers, seeing as my headache isn't allowing me to do mental math right now, and I breathe a sigh of relief when it falls on a Sunday.

"Yeh got any ideas?" Vector asks.

"I haven't really thought much..." I admit. Espio's birthday's coming up and I never really gave it a lot of thought until Vector came up with the idea that we should do something big for him this year, seeing as he's been through a lot of crazy shit lately, and even then I couldn't brainstorm to save my life. "We could eat out, I guess? It's gonna be on a Sunday so we shouldn't have a problem getting out of here."

"Kay, Ah guess it's a start... But where we goin'?"

"I don't know, WcMonalds or something? Everywhere else is stupidly overpriced..."

"Bucket O'Sushi ain't."

"It is if there's three of you."

"Who says dere's gonna be just da three of us?"

"What do you mean? And wouldn't that make it more expensive than it it already?"

"Well ehrm... ya probs gon' 'ate me but... ehh..."

"Spit it out, Vec."

"I may 'ave invited Mighty an' Ray teh come along teh wherever we go teh..."

I push myself up to face Vector, trying to figure out what's going on in his head. "Why on Mobius would I hate you?" I ask, genuinely surprised that he would even suggest such a thing. "Espio would be over the moon!"

"Yeh but... I'm worried 'bout Lace an' Dad an' that... Like, if anyone tells 'em-"

"Argh, that's easy!" I reassure. "All we have to do is stagger our movements, and no-one will ever know. Tell Mighty we're going to the WcMonalds, and tell him to leave early."

I roll back over in my bed and bury my face back into my pillow. Problem solved. I guess I could have thought of something a little more outgoing but I'm sure Espio would appreciate getting to see Mighty again. They were always so happy when they were allowed to be friends. I don't know why Vector's so worried anyway. The three of us aren't slaves. We shouldn't have to let Lacer and Raster decide who we can befriend and who we can't. I close my eyes and try to get back to sleep for at least another hour. Maybe even rid this damn headache, but I'm stopped by the door opening again.

"Knuckles?"

I reluctantly sit up once again, and look towards Rouge. "What?"

"I'd... um..." She looks behind her, and I can just about make out Espio giving her a thumbs-up from out in the corridoor. She turns back round and takes a deep breath, before speaking again. "Meet me. Behind the Denny's at nine tonight. Call it a date."

I rub my eyes, and pinch myself. All my reality checks come out positive. I reply to her, forgetting the fact that I'm tired as fuck and positively beaming, "I thought you'd never ask!"


	55. Chapter 55

**\--Manic POV--**

"Look at that nerd over there, thinking he belongs here."

"Don't be so horrible, Scourge."

"No, Fiona, he's got a point. I thought we made it clear that he doesn't deserve to be here with those thesauruses."

"Man, that was hilarious. Still no idea what the blue was all about though."

"That fox kid's invented some real weird shit. I heard he once built a TV out of paperclips. It must have been him. Little shit."

"Just imagine him at a show and tell. 'Hey, my name is Tails, I turned a blu-ray player into a blue ray gun!'"

"Nah, unrealistic much. Nobody would sell a blu-ray player to a weirdo like him."

"Yeah, maybe, but he could have at least played it on his paperclip TV instead of making a blue out of it. Fucking waste of space, in my opinion. Both him _and_ the blue."

I sit with Scourge, Fiona, and Nack in silence as they make fun of Tails behind his back, quietly sniggering and doing mocking impressions, feeling like even more of a waste of space than Tails is. I've always been a waste of space. Ever since Tails started living at the palace, everyone forgot about me. Mom always says that she doesn't have a favourite, but I know she does. Well, a least favourite. And that was before Tails too. She leaves Sonic with Uncle Chuck. She leaves Sonia with some upper-class millionairess, and she dumps me with a load of street rats. At least it was bearable until that fox showed up. Stealing my limelight. Stealing my family. I'm the one who does the stealing, here. So what do I do? Take it all out on him. Team up with the school bullies. And now I can't get out. I can't get out of this endless cycle of "hurt Tails or we hurt you".

"So whose turn is it to teach him a lesson this time, boss?" Nack asks, with a sly grin on his face.

"I do believe it's Manic's turn," Scourge replies, turning to me. "Here's the deal, street rat. Just to make sure that that mutant doesn't show his face around Year 10 again, you're gonna lock him in somewhere. Maybe that auto-locking Janitor's cupboard down near the Year 7 hub. In fact, yeah. Lock him in there. Put him back down to where he belongs."

Nack and Fiona nod their heads in agreement, and push me off my chair towards where Tails is sitting.

"Oh, and one more thing," Scourge starts. "Don't drop us in it if you get caught."

He winks, then waves me off. I don't want to do this. But I hate Tails for what he's done to my family. And I don't want to be in Scourge's bad books. So I'll do it. I'll put Tails in that cupboard. I walk up behind him, and gently tap him on the shoulder. He doesn't even flinch, and turns around. Damn that guy. Why is he not scared of me? I tell him that I would like to talk to him alone, and he follows me down the stairs to just outside of the Year 7 hub. I lean on the wall, and he, conveniently, leans on the cupboard door. So I take the opportunity before I lose it, and ignore his screams and poundings from behind the door when I make my quick exit.

**\--Sonic POV--**

I watch Manic lead Tails down the stairs, and many questions enter my mind. Why would Manic want to speak to Tails? Why do it alone? Could it be an apology? But if it was an apology, why do it alone?

"Don't worry about them, Sonic. Manic looked pretty serious," Knuckles reassures.

"That doesn't make him any less of an actor."

I slowly rise from my chair and make my way to the balcony and lean over, scanning what I can see of the three floors beneath me for any sign of Tails and Manic. I'm a pretty forgiving person. I put a lot of trust in people. Heck, I even still have some trust in Eggman. Jet and Sonia think I'm mad for it, but just because he's some bumbling buffoon doesn't mean his heart's not in the right place. But Manic... I'd had it with him a long time ago.

A single slam of a door is enough to convince me that this isn't right. I wait a few seconds, and duck behind a chair when Manic returns up the stairs to the hub without Tails, and goes to sit with the rest of the Dickheads.

"Did you do it?" Nack whispers. Manic only nods.

I ignore the weirded-out stares of the rest of Year 10 as I sneak around behind all of the tables and chairs in the hub. Once I'm certain I'm out of sight, I start knocking on every single lockable door in the dorm block. Because that slam could only have meant one thing.

**\--Jet POV--**

I've never known Wave be so quiet. Makes a change from earlier. We were arguing so much that we forgot what we were arguing about, and Storm got so fed up of us that he made us settle it with a game of Chess. Not a race, like usual, just Chess. Because apparently you can't cheat on Chess so there's no reason to argue again when you lose.

"How does the horsey thing go again?"

"It's called a Knight, Wave, it goes diagonal," Storm explains.

"When did you learn how to play Chess?" I ask.

"Did Chess club back in middle school when I wasn't trying not to kill myself with my Extreme Gear. Still terrible though."

"I can tell..." I mumble to myself, watching Wave put her full trust in Storm and start moving her Knight like it's a Bishop. I take advantage of the situation to make my own illegal move, checkmating Wave with a single L-shaped Rook. "Now for a re-match, with the actual moves instead of the wrong ones. Storm, get the rule-book out of the box, will you?"

"Wait, what do you mean the wrong ones-"

"JET!"

I turn round and flinch as Sonic runs up behind me.

"What a way to greet a guy, huh? Just startle him."

"No time for sarcasm, Jet, I need your help unlocking a door."

I lean back on my chair and wait for him to continue. He doesn't. "And?"

"Please, Jet," he pleads. "Use Wave's feather grips again if you have to."

Sonic grabs my arm and pulls me off the chair. I try to get him off me, but to no avail, and I'm dragged down a few flights of stairs with Wave yelling from behind me. We reach the Year 7 hub and Sonic finally stops dragging me. He points at the Janitor cupboard.

"All yours."

I scowl at him, and point to the clock. If he can force me to unlock a door, then he can at least time me like we used to back in the pranking days. Sonic's insisted we stop doing it since we got Shadow with the sticky notes. Screw Shadow, he's a grouchy motherfucker. Stopping me from having my fun. I take Wave's feather grips out of my back pocket and begin working on the lock, and it pops open in what may just be my fastest time yet. I look back to Sonic, and he holds up six fingers. Six seconds.

"The door's unlocked, Tails!" Sonic shouts.

"Wait, Tails?" I ask

I'm answered by Tails stumbling out of the cupboard, with dried tears on his face.

"Thanks for getting me out of here, Sonic," he says.

"Hey, don't thank me, thank Jet. He's the one who unlocked the thing. Anyway, I have a brother to talk some sense into. Nobody crosses Sonic the Hedgehog and gets away with it..."

Tails and I stand on either side of the door frame, and watch Sonic jog back up the stairs, absolutely raging. Then Tails hesitantly follows. I'm not sure I want to know what just happened, even if it does seem blatantly obvious. I'd rather just get on with my day than get involved on whatever this is. I decide to forget about this, and head back up to the Year 10 hub, but I'm met halfway by an angry Swallow.

"Is _that_ where all of my feather grips have been going?"

_Here we go again..._


	56. Chapter 56

**\--Knuckles POV--**

"Aye, look what we got here! Knuckles with those mitten-ass mittens!"

"What the fuck, Mighty, what sort of insult is that? Mitten-ass mittens..."

"Haha, no idea. First thing that came to my head. Good to see you again, Knux."

Mighty and I smile as we pull each other into a loose embrace. I'm not much of a hugger, but I've missed this guy. "Yeah... you too. The others should be here soon."

"So um..." he smirks, and cocks his head to one side. "How did your date with Rouge go?"

* * *

_I sprint through Main Street, exhausted but determined to get to the Denny's on time. I yank off my boxing gloves and stuff them into my pockets as I run. I didn't have time to remove them by the time compulsory Boxing Club overtime was over. How could I forget about the overtime? Rouge will be wondering where the hell I got off to. I dodge pedestrians, and punch the branches of the occasional cherry blossom out of the way. I'm a man on a mission. I've got places to be._

_The glowing sign of the local Denny's appears between the skyscrapers of Green Hill City, and a few more minutes of running later, I can finally rest. Leaning on the signpost, I pull my Nokio flip phone out of my pocket and dial Rouge's number. Five rings, and she picks up._

_"Where are you?" she asks impatiently. "I ordered a table for two and I'm sat here on my own."_

_"It was overtime," I pant out. "I'm so sorry, I forgot. I'm stood outside, I'll come in in a sec-"_

_"I can't believe you did this, Knuckles."_

_"I can't believe your tits are one polygon!"_

_I snap my phone shut and shove it back in my pocket between the boxing gloves. I've so blown this. I can't believe your tits are one polygon... what was I thinking?_

_My phone rings again, with Rouge's ringtone. I take it out of my pocket again and answer the call._

_"Come on, Knuckles. My one polygon is waiting for you."_

_A huge grin finds its way onto my face. Maybe I haven't blown this just yet. "...It's my favourite polygon. Cheese melt? On me?"_

* * *

"Ehh, it went alright, I guess. How did you know about it?"

"Good news travels fast."

Mighty suddenly turns to his left, and waves to people in the distance. I squint, and see Ray, Vector and Espio walking towards us.

"I though I told you guys to stagger your exits!" I shout.

"It ain't Ray dat Lacer's got teh problem with!" Vector shouts back.

"Are y-y-you sure th-that this was a good idea?"

"Argh, don' worry, Ray. It'll be totalleh fine."

The five of us stand outside the WcMonalds for a while, catching up on each other's lives over the last few months, embarrassing Espio by very badly singing 'Happy Birthday' a few times and watching Vector chase him around with the inevitable fifteen birthday bumps. Apparently it's illegal to sing 'Happy Birthday' in public due to copyright restrictions, but no copyright law in the universe is going to stop me.

"Aaaaaand one for good luck!" I say, bonking Espio on the head. He playfully shoves me and Vector. He was smiling the entire time, he'll be fine. "How's it feel being the same age as your boy Knux?" I ask.

Espio hesitates before answering. "Well... I'm too young to die, and I'm now too old to eat off the kid's menu... what a stupid age I am," he laughs, sarcastically.

I check the time, and we all head into the WcMonalds to our booked table. It's not much. After all, Espio's halfway to thirty and all we managed to pull out was a trip to the local fast-food restaurant, but I can tell that he's happy. He goes a brighter shade of fuchsia when he's happy. And I'm putting my bets on that that's all because Mighty and Ray are here to celebrate his birthday with him. Screw Lacer and Raster with their damn rules. Maybe if they saw Espio like this they'd actually change their mind. But I guess showing them is too big of a risk to take.

**\--Manic POV--**

I stand at the side of the road, arm extended and thumb out. It's about time I made my exit. If I can make people question their own will to live, then what sort of person am I?

As I wait for a driver who is willing to let me hitchhike, I remember the events of an hour ago. Back in the hub, hiding behind the post of Scourge and Vector's bunk, I looked out into the almost empty hub at Tails and Sonic, sat alone, just talking. I listened to Tails sobbing his heart out, venting all of his frustrations to Sonic. 'I don't belong here'. 'Everyone hates me'. 'I'd be better off dead'. 'I just want to die'.

_Me too, Tails. Me too._

A small, rusted SUV pulls up beside me, and the Dark Green crocodile in the driver's seat winds down the window. He talks to me in a strong Robotropolian accent.

"What's a kiddo like yeh doin' out at this time o' night tryna hitchhike?"

"Are you going by Wave Ocean?" I ask, dodging the question.

"Yeh, I am. Why, d'ya need a ride or somethin'?"

"Please."

He reaches over to the passenger side and opens the door, waving me inside.

"I've gotta go teh Wave Ocean for a case. We're lookin' for a missin' 'edgehog. A silver-un. Client reckons he likes nature, 's obsessed wiv water, 'ates traffic an stuff like dat, dat's why I'mma look dere first. Might take me a while dough. Maybeh days. I got mah buddies Lacer an' Charmy searchin' Mystic Jungle in da meantime. Wave Ocean's a big ol' place, an it's usually where kids go missin' with all dem whales an' shit. Dey go whale-watchin', whale drags 'em in, curtains for 'em," he explains.

I try to make more conversation to avoid any suspicions. If Wave Ocean is where kids go missing, I don't want anybody looking for me thinking I'm going to go missing too. "You're a detective?"

"Raster Chasquido, leader o' da Chaotix Detective Agency. And I'll be honest, I ain't all dat proud o' dis title at da minute."

"Oh, I know your son. Vector, isn't it?"

"'Ow d'ya know 'im-" he looks at my school tie, slightly showing beneath my jacket, and nods his head. "Ah, a GHA kid, ain't ya? Another reason why yeh shouldn't be out. Whadda ya doin'?"

I dodge the question again. "I know Espio too. I swapped dorms with him a bit ago. Seems like a nice guy." That last part wasn't a lie. Unlike Tails, I can actually get on with Espio if the rest of the guys aren't around. It's a shame I had to bully him with the others just to keep my place in the group. But I won't have to worry about that anymore when I'm through with Wave Ocean.

Raster smacks his forehead. "Oh, o' course! It's 'is birthday, innit! Argh dammit, trust me teh forget... I'll drop 'im an email lateh. When ya see 'im again, be a good-un an' wish 'im a big 'appy birthday from his godfather Raster, will ya?"

"Uh... yeah, sure."

We sit in silence for the rest of the drive. Raster takes it fast over the straight roads of the Green Hill countryside. I watch the hills and waterfalls glisten in the moonlight for the brief moments that they stay in view, and look up through the sunroof when they're gone. It's a clear night. The stars are beautiful. This is a beautiful world. It's a shame I have to leave it in order to let others enjoy it. I find myself tracing shapes between the stairs with my finger, spelling out my name, and then crossing it out with the stars that are left. There. My suicide is written in the stars. It was always going to happen, and it's going to happen tonight.

Raster parks his car, and I get out. I salute him, and watch him drive off down the road into the distance. I only turn to face the sea when the car's lights completely fade away. This man has no idea what he's letting me do. Finding one kid, losing another. I step towards the cliff-edge, and watch the whales leap up out of the sea, and swim around near the surface.

_'I just want to die'._

Satan, if you're out there, I want a piece of that pie too.


	57. Chapter 57

**\--Sonic POV--**

3am. And I still can't sleep. Not being allowed to run fast has really screwed up my sleep pattern. All that energy trapped inside me, gathered from chili dogs and ice cream, has nowhere to escape except for at 3 in the morning through intense brain activity. And thinking really is exhausting. I usually just do stuff. Do it now, think about it later. But the one thing that I could do right now, sleep, is the one thing I can't do. Well, other than stare at my old medallion.

When Manic, Sonia and I were separated at birth, we had no way of finding each other. We lived for years thinking we were only children, and that we had no family other than the people who raised us. Then, when I was about seven or eight, my uncle Chuck gave me this thing. It's got two little stones on it. He told me the stones glow brighter if my siblings are nearby. He was pretty shocked when he found out I'd never been told I was part of a set of triplets, but that's irrelevant. What I'm confused about is what the green stone's doing right now. Getting fainter... and fainter... and fainter. He'll be out somewhere.

And then the light goes out altogether. Okay. That's not supposed to happen.

These stones are powered by Mobius' magnetic field, and the little ripples in it caused by the material sealed within the medallion itself, and that material reacts to our heartbeats, which is why Mom makes us wear the things 24/7. Even in PE lessons. We have a pass for PE lessons. So this isn't just a case of the battery going flat, because there is no battery. The only reason Manic's stone would go out completely is if the medallion and/or Manic has completely left the magnetic field, which is highly improbable because then he'd have to be an astronaut or something. Or the Chaos emeralds are involved, again, highly improbable. Or... if Manic's heart has stopped. Which is not quite as improbable as the other two. That's slightly worrying. My eyes must be playing tricks on me. I need to ask Sonia.

I slowly lower myself down to the ground, avoiding most of the ladder rungs to avoid creaking them and waking Shadow and Espio. Silver's been gone for a while. I keep asking the other two if they've seen him lately and they either dodge the question or just say "no we haven't". I can't help thinking something's off there, but I have bigger things to worry about than a missing night light. I slowly open the door, cringing when it creaks, slide out, and shut it again. Then I sprint diagonally across the corridor to 4E and loudly knock on the door, where a very yawny Wave answers.

"What are you doing here?-"

"No time to explain, is Sonia awake?"

Wave yawns again, and flips me off as she walks to Sonia's bed and shakes her awake.

"Your dumb brother's here," she explains, giving me a brutal side-eye. I don't care that it's early. Or late, depending on if you've slept yet. I need to see Sonia's damn medallion.

"What do you want?" She asks, drowsily.

"Look at your medallion and tell me what the green stone's doing," I order.

"Wha- medallion?"

"Shut up, Wave, this has nothing to do with you. Come on, Sonia, where's your 'get up and go'?"

"It's got up and gone..." she answers sarcastically, fumbling with her medallion, and I watch her eyes widen when she realizes what I mean. "He... where is he?"

"I have no fucking clue and neither do the medallions."

Sonia springs up out of her bed and grabs her coat and shoes, then turns back to me. "Go back to 4B and get a coat on. We're looking for this guy."

It's less of a "will you come with me?" and more of a "you have no choice in the matter". So much for sleeping tonight. I go back to 4B, grab a hoodie and meet Sonia and Wave back out in the hub.

"Why is Wave still here?" I ask.

"She's going to help us find Manic," Sonia explains. "You and I will go together one way, Wave's going to search everywhere else."

I sigh, and follow Sonia and Wave outside to the city. We take our separate paths at the crossroads outside the school. Sonia and I head North. We walk for what feels like hours, looking for any sign of Manic, and find nothing.

"Will you keep your damn hood up? We're too famous to be seen like this!" She scolds.

"It's alright for you, your quills are shorter than mine and don't stab your hood through whenever you move too hard."

I keep glancing down at my medallion, hoping to see just the slightest fleck of green light, but it never comes. This is hopeless. Manic could be cities away by now, and we're stuck here searching the same two mile radius over and over again, probably going to places that Wave's already beaten us to anyway. I feel my eyelids begin to close slowly on their own, and I keep forcing them back open again. If I couldn't sleep before, I definitely can now. I look out in front of me, and the faintest hint of orange starts creeping across the sky.

"Sonia this will never work. I haven't slept at all tonight either."

She rolls her eyes, and pulls her phone out of her pocket and puts it to her ear. "Wave? Any sign of him?"

I listen carefully, and try to make out what Wave says. "No, but I did go and get some more of those feather grips with the rings that Jet left under my bed in the meantime."

"What? You're supposed to be helping!"

"You're the one who dragged me out here, Sonia. You just gave me an excuse to stock up!"

Sonia angrily turns her phone off and finally gives up. She waves for me to follow her back to the Academy. I try to explain to her that we could have just called the police. Or the Chaotix. Or the Zone Cops. Or the GUN. But she's not having any of it. According to her, they're all useless these days, especially the Chaotix. But if she won't call anyone, I'll call them myself. I might hate Manic, but there's no way I'm letting him go missing like this.


	58. Chapter 58

**\--Shadow POV--**

I scroll through various news articles on my phone between Math questions. Manic's gone missing but nobody knows where the fuck he is... A load of ninjas from Robotropolis have been sentenced to life imprisonment...

"Oh my GOD, Shadow, you will not believe what happened in French class."

I look up from my phone and watch Rouge strut towards me. I can feel a rant coming.

"What happened, Red?" I ask, rolling my eyes, putting my phone away and continuing to tear through my math homework.

"Well you see," she starts, hesitating. "You know how we never actually got onto the numbers topic last year when Antoine was on French because he's a lazy mofo?"

"Uh huh."

She takes a deep breath and begins the rant. "Right, well, I finished my work like a good girl and Ms. Vanilla comes up to me, and I swear to god, she asked me if I know any numbers. You think I know French numbers when I had Antoine last year? No! I know Westopolis numbers. I'm from Westopolis. I don't know French numbers. I gotta tell you about the French number system, Shad. How they count to 100 - It's absolutely bonkers, man, you are not gonna believe it."

I let out a small "mhm" without looking up just to let her know that I'm still listening.

"Everything from 1-16 is fine. They got their own names for it. It's like 'oon', 'dux'... 'twars', 'cat', I don't know what it is but it's something. They got the same numbers for it. When you get to sixteen, for some reason, some arbitrary number like sixteen, they say, "Hey, fuck the rest of it, we're gonna do some random shit now". So instead of seventeen, what you'd expect, they go 'ten-seven'. Then they go 'ten-eight'. And then they go 'ten-nine'. Then they go twenty. So that's fine, they have their twenty. So that's cool, but what the hell was all that three numbers before that?"

"Wait... what?" I look up at Rouge, trying to work out what sort of shit she's trying to fill my brain with this time. Why end at sixteen? Maybe this is why I didn't take French...

"So now, like how some of our numbers are like, 'Twenty one, twenty two, twenty three,' well yeah, there's is pretty much the same except for one, it's like 'twenty and one'. Why is there an 'and'?! I don't need to say 'and', it's just 'twenty one'!

"This might be why Antoine refused to teach the numbers."

"Of course that's why. And then they say, "Hey, you know what? We're gonna be normal for the next 49 numbers up until sixty nine". Which, first of all, that's hilarious because that's a sex thing. What comes next after sixty nine? And I said, "Of course, it's gonna be seventy. You got some kind of stupid French word for seventy, don't you?" And she said, "No". She said, "Instead of seventy we got a sixty, which is soixante or something, and you just add a ten to it." So I said, "What? You're doing math now in the middle of your numbers?- How do you keep track of it?" Instead of seventy, it's 'sixty-ten'."

I feel a smile begin to creep onto my face. I think this is enough math homework for one break. I slowly fold it all up and slot it neatly back into my bag. "Yeah, okay, continue."

"She gets to 'sixty-seventeen' or what it should be, you know, 'sixty-ten-seven', so I had to correct that on my damn worksheet, now we got three numbers back-to-back, and she says "Listen," she says, "get this." She says "We're gonna go to eighty." I said, "Great, it's eighty, right?" She said, "No." I said "What is it? Sixty-twenty?" And she was like, "No, something worse." I said, "What?" She said, "It's four twenties." Again, hilarious, because 420, that's like a weed thing, right?"

"Four twenties? Man, French is weird."

"You betcha. Then we get all the way to what should be ninety, what should be so easy to just have a number followed by a 'ty' like we do, with 'seven-ty, eight-ty, nine-ty', whatever. They gotta throw some fucking math into it again. Nobody here is Eric Einstein. You think it was bad enough to have a number in your language have to actually be quantified in front of it. "Hey, we got four twenties." Now instead of having a number for ninety, it's gonna be 'four twenties ten'. 'Quatre-vingt-dix'. What is that? Just say ninety or something. Who needs quatre-vingt-dix?! We got 'four twenties ten' then 'four twenties eleven' for ninety one, why not throw an 'and' in there? 'Four twenties and eleven', 'four and twenties and eleven', and then the next one, 'four twenties and ten... and twelve'... Who cares? Just start saying numbers. And then you get to ninety seven, ninety eight, ninety nine, it's 'four twenties ten and seven'. That's four goddamn numbers in a row! That's four numbers just for one number! Who the hell's got the time?!"

Whilst Rouge is going off on one, I'm finding it very difficult not to laugh at her. I love her rants. They make my day sometimes.

"This here's the craziest part," She continues, sniggering and tapping the desk. "Right before I dipped outta the lesson just now, you know what Vanilla said? She tried to tell me what a hundred was. I said, "Listen, if you tell me some stupid shit, I'm gonna be so pissed." She didn't even get mad at me for swearing. She says, "There's two choices. The two choices are, you got 'two fifties' or 'four twenty fives'."

"Wait, is it actually?"

"Nah, it's just a hundred."

Rouge slaps the desk and leans back, and mouths a very bitchy-looking "What the fuck?" at the ceiling. The librarian gives us a death-stare and returns behind her computer, occasionally looking back up at us again to make sure we don't cause any further disruption to the surrounding tables.

"So... your brain is fried, right?" I ask.

"Yes of course it's fucking fried-"

I shush her to get her to stop being so loud that she'll get herself in trouble. I'm rewarded with a scowl.

"You wanna know something, Red?"

"Quit translating my name, I'm sick of French. You know that's not why I took it."

"You've just been doing math for an hour right?"

"French number math?"

"Yeah, number math, so, you can help me with question six on the math homework because I forgot how to do the weird function stuff with those letter 'x' in brackets and an 'f' in front of it or whatever-"

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME, SHADOW?"

"No, not at all-"

"OUT."

Startled, Rouge and I stop talking immediately and look up at the librarian. She points her thumb at the door, and orders for us to leave. We hesitantly stand up and make out way to the door, when we're stopped again.

"Not you, Shadow, you can stay in here. Rouge, you get out. And when you come back in, be quiet for heaven's sake. Inside voices."

Her jaw drops, and I smile and stick my tongue out at her just to annoy her even more. I guess I'm going to have to go back to being that one grouchy kid who does homework when he could be doing a million other things. And I'll still be no closer to finishing question six.


	59. Chapter 59

**\--Espio POV--**

I sit at the bottom of the shower with the lukewarm shower water falling over me, still colder than it is warm, and I breathe the crisp evening spring air that's coming in through the open skylight. But I don't meditate. I need to. But I won't. Meditating only brings back memories of the clan.

Memories like that time we all sat outside around a hand-made fire, with a ceramic pot of green tea on top, taking turns to brew it and stir in the leaves with a bamboo stick, and dipping in small bowls to fill them with the beverage. Sometimes we'd have fruit too. We told each other stories. Some real, some fake, some stories of our families, some old wives' tales, you name it, it was told. I especially liked the one about the peach and the river. A child came to Mobius inside a giant peach, which was found floating down a river by an old, childless woman who was washing clothes there. The woman and her husband discovered the child when they tried to open the peach to eat it. The child explained that he had been sent by Heaven to be their son. The couple named him Momotaro, meaning 'Peach boy'. It's obviously fake, but just as beautiful, and it was always told slightly differently by everyone who ever told it. And another story about the tanuki. The story tells of a poor man who finds a tanuki caught in a trap. He feels sorry for it, and sets it free. That night, the tanuki comes to the poor man's house to thank him for his kindness. The tanuki transforms itself into a tea kettle, like the one we sat around _,_ and tells the man to sell him for money. I was never told about how the tanuki transformed. Then again, I'm not sure I want to know. The man sells the tanuki-teapot to a monk, who takes it home and, after scrubbing it harshly, sets it over the fire to boil water. Unable to stand the heat, the tanuki teapot sprouts legs and, in its half-transformed state, makes a run for it.

And I find myself meditating again. Though I'm not sure if it counts as meditating if your mind is racing. Meditating is supposed to clear your head. Not fill it with things you'd rather forget.

But I guess it wouldn't hurt to just meditate a little more. I may hate the context of it, but I must admit I still find the actual process rather relaxing. It's better than boiling my brains out with the meaningless shit that usually finds a way in there. I could use this time to think about Eggman.

Sensei - no, not Sensei, _Pachacamac_ \- always taught me to never let evil have its way. A little ironic now I know where the evil was this entire time, but the lesson was taught with good intention. And holy. Fucking. Christ on a bike. This headmaster is evil, alright. He was already in my bad books but this is some next level shit. I haven't been able to take my mind off the fact that my Physics teacher is a terrorist for days. Evil should never has its way. Justice must be served. Again, ironic, seeing as the death penalty was abolished years ago, and we're all taught the same kind of thing: evil is synonymous with bad, and it must be abolished. But the death penalty wasn't evil, it was common sense. And I bet Eggman was around and able to think for himself with that evil brain of his when the death penalty was simply common sense.

_Whoa, when did the death penalty come into this? Do you really think Eggman deserves death for what he's done? For what he's planning to do?_

I guess it's a complicated situation. The only reason it was abolished in the first place is because the wrong people got killed, and quantity couldn't really be taken into account. You kill one person? You're going to die too. You kill two people? I'm going to kill you, and then kill you again. Or maybe kill you just once but twice as hard. It doesn't work like that, but the message is there. A life of imprisonment? No, there is no message. The only way you'd get what you deserve from a lifetime in prison is if you've ever held hostages. So, back before this whole "abolish anything that involves killing murderers" thing came about, the punishment mirrored the crime. When it's put that simply, Eggman doesn't deserve death because there were no deaths at the Soleanna attack. Countless injuries, just no deaths. But for every single person he hurt, if the punishment mirrors the crime, then every injury to a citizen should be inflicted upon Eggman. Hundreds of injuries, hundreds of broken bones, punctured lungs, damaged health, physical and mental, all of those would be more than enough to kill a man. But we're not living in nineteen-aught-seven, so Eggman would never get what he deserves unless someone went out of their way to give it to him. To give him death. And if they did it wrong, they'd be in an even worse situation that the now-dead Eggman would be in, because they'd be stuck in a prison for the rest of their life. The life that they shouldn't be allowed to live, but are still living, because the justice system blew its own brains out by abolishing every sensible thing it ever put in place.

"What a world we live in," I think aloud. And then I realise that according to my mind's own meaningless ramblings, I should be dead. Again. Complicated. I was tricked into killing Bean. Therefore I shouldn't be the one to die, right? That should be Pachacamac. But he didn't do the killing.

Maybe justice isn't as straight-forward as I was taught it to be.

I should call the police and let them decide what to do, because I am in no way qualified enough to be deciding these things. But then what about Shadow? Could he go under too for keeping the files? Why am I worried about him?

_Stop thinking. Stop meditating. In fact, turn off that damn shower before you drown yourself._

I move for the first time in what must be a couple of hours, and realise that I had my foot over the plug hole the entire time, and the water had risen up to my neck. I quickly drain the water and wonder how the rubber seal on the shower door held up so well. I didn't realise they were built for this kind of thing. I step out of the shower and dry myself off, cocooning myself in my towel to try to get warm again, but with being a reptile, it's much harder than everyone else here makes it out to be. Just put a coat on, you'll be fine. That's easy for you to say, Shadow, with your warm blood and thermoregulatory center. I've got to sit here freezing my tits off after I forget that the longer I spend in a cold shower, the more dangerous it is. And now I've got to worry about not drowning myself too? When did these long, cold showers, pretending it's the rain, become such a rip-off? Or maybe I've just... changed.


	60. Chapter 60

**\--Shadow POV--**

It's that strange time of day again. Too early to do anything productive yet too late to go back to sleep. So I leave the dorm and go and sit on the thick windowsill in the hub. I look over the rest of Green Hill City, past the skyscrapers and into the distant countryside, and smile when the morning sun emerges behind a cloud and is centered directly in the middle of a loop. I like the sunrises here, but it's just not the same as the other ones. Back up in the Ark, Maria and I used to watch them all the time. And I mean all the time. In orbit, we could go around Mobius sixteen times a day, giving us sixteen opportunities to watch a sunrise. A little speck of star coming over the curvature of the planet, its light creeping along the continents and glistening in the glaciers and the oceans. And no matter how many times we sat on a thick windowsill together, we never grew tired of that view. The sunrises remind me of those times. If the sun were to ever go out, and I could save a sunrise and put it into Maria's old box, then I would do just that.

I stop looking at the sun before it burns my eyes, and instead watch the morning birds weave through the sky, in and out of the skyscrapers. Innocent, wild, and free. I track two of them, following each other around the city, and I'm left confused for a second when both go behind a skyscraper and only one comes back out of the other side. Then, as if the world somehow knows what I'm confused about, the answer comes in the form of a gunshot ringing through the air.

* * *

_I grapple Maria's hand as tightly as I can, and we sprint through the corridors away from our enemies. She digs her free hand into the pocket of her blue short-sleeve jacket, and pulls out a hand-drawn map of the Ark, complete with its secret shortcuts. She throws it to me, and I catch it, flicking it open as it enters my grip. A left, a right, a shuffle between a small gap in the wall, left again, and then a dead end. We're chased to a standstill._

_Panting heavily, the two of us spin around and are met with a swarm of angry GUN soldiers, flocking in in their twenties. They surround us, and force us into a corner like sheepdogs would herd sheep into a pen. I reach for my inhibitor rings, but Maria shoves me to the right before I can twist them off my wrists. I fall into a glass pod, and the door closes as soon as it detects that I'm inside. Maria lunges for a lever, and pulls it._

_I start banging on the glass, and the soldiers aim their guns at Maria. I feel the pod begin to shift downwards underneath me, engines booting up, and the last thing I see before I'm sent flying into space is a GUN soldier pulling the trigger of his gun, and the last thing I hear is the shot._

* * *

Tears. On my face, in my eyes. How did they get here? Why are they here? I don't cry. The Ultimate Life Form _does not cry_. Or does he? Just because I put "Ultimate" in front of it, doesn't make The Ultimate Life Form any less of a Life Form. And I'm alone. I can cry if I want to. But I don't want to, because I got over this more than a year ago.

"Shadow?"

I turn around on the windowsill and see Espio poking his head around the door of 4B. He slides out of the dorm and gently closes the door.

"You're crying. It didn't seem like you noticed, so I thought I ought to point it out. You... seemed very distant just then." He says. I avoid the statement and turn back around.

"Hmph. Haven't you learnt anything from the last time you followed me out of the dorm in the early morning?" I accuse.

"I can't say that I have. And I have a reason to be out, anyway."

"Which is?"

"I'm going to walk somewhere. I used to enjoy early morning walks. I thought, why not go out again?"

I listen to his very light footsteps move behind me, and suddenly stop at the top of the stairs.

"Oh, before I go," he continues. "Just a... word of advice, if you will. I've had a lot on my mind lately and um... I just wanted to say that no matter what happens, stay true to yourself. Masking will only bring you problems later."

"And why are you telling me this?" I snap, slightly annoyed that he dared to try to give me advice, and comment on my crying in the first place. Of _course_ I knew I was crying... Who does he think he is?

"It's a message that everyone ought to hear at least once in their life," he explains. "Nobody ever told that to me, so I'm making it my job to tell others. Have a good morning."

I turn around and watch Espio slowly and silently descend down the stairs, and I wonder what could possibly be going through his head. What right does he have to think he knows everything about my actions? Or am I that easy to read?

_Am I that easy to read?_

Sonic reads me easily. Tails reads me easily. Rouge reads me easily. Gerald reads me easily. And only the last two of those four should know me well enough to be able to read me like a book. Maybe... maybe me pretending to not give a shit about anything isn't working after all. Maybe Espio's advice is something I ought to consider taking.

**\--Espio POV--**

I know Shadow's not all that he seems. I realized that back in November when I told him all that stuff about my weird thoughts and he actually seemed to care. If anybody needs to be true to themself, it's him.

I walk for about half an hour in the general direction of the skate park, twirling a kunai in my fingers. I've started bringing weapons out with me all the time now, not just in school. I've established that I feel safer that way. Always a method of defence. I won't use them unless I have to. The roads are quiet, and the lights are all still out in the houses and apartments, so I'm not getting caught with illegal blades any time soon. I take a moment to fill my lungs with the crisp March air before it's filled with another day's pollution, becoming one with the clouds and the sky. It's a beautiful morning. That, I can say.

I arrive at the skate park, expecting there to be nobody around, but I'm stopped in my tracks by a very large man climbing the ladder of some strange machine, and seating himself in the cockpit. It's only when he turns around and I see the mustache, that I recognize everything that is in front of me. The man looks down to where I'm stood, and he recognizes me too.

"Ah, Espio, how nice of you to pay a visit," greets Dr. Robotnik, with a huge smile on his face. A fake smile.

I don't answer. Instead, I keep my distance and inspect the machine that he has nestled between two skate ramps. A semi-sphere, with a pointy thing on the flat side. This is the Death Egg from those files that Shadow found. He's going to do something with this Death Egg.

_And I'm here. It's up to me to stop him now._

"Eggman!" I shout. I don't usually stray from his actual name, but the situation calls for it. "I know what you're up to!"

"Oho, do you, you clever little reptile? Then what am I doing?"

"This is a Death Egg," I recite, cleverly avoiding the ciphered parts that I don't yet understand, "fitted with five hundred and seventy horsepower rockets, fit for driving the Death Egg straight into orbit!"

Oh, how I wish I knew what he'll be driving this thing into orbit for.

"Ah," he says, realizing that he's been found out. "You saw my plans and my blueprints, huh?"

I nod my head.

"Then it must be you who broke into my house and stole the purple Chaos emerald! Orbot? Cubot? ATTACK!"

I'm caught off-guard by two small robots jumping out of the Death Egg wielding guns. They begin to fire randomly in my general direction, and I dodge every shot. I throw a kunai into the red one, straight between its robot teeth, and jump onto the yellow one, crushing its head.

"Surely you know better than to attack your students without questioning them first, Robotnik?" I patronize, kicking the yellow robot away and drawing the kunai from the red robot, now twitching on the floor.

"Soon I won't need to question anybody," he starts. "Soon, the entire world will be my possession, and then I can do with it as I please! Haw-haw-haw-haw-haw!"

And then he turns on the engine. The cheek of this man. Pure evil. He really is going to dominate the place. I can't let him do this. Evil should never be allowed to have its way. I repeat that statement to myself in my head over and over, seeing red and turning myself invisible.

_Evil should never be allowed to have its way._

I climb up the side of the Death Egg, not yet knowing what I'm going to do.

_Evil should never be allowed to have its way._

With a quick flick of my wrist, I sever an exposed cable or two with my kunai. I have an idea.

_Evil should never be allowed to have its way._

I rip the severed cables out of the Death Egg and leap towards Eggman, pulling them around his neck and tying him to his chair. I position the kunai at his neck.

"Evil should never be allowed to have its way, Eggman," I growl into his ear, almost smiling at his futile attempts to see me and to release himself. "Now, will you submit to the police, or will you do this the hard way?"

"You fool..." he chokes out from behind the cables. "I could wipe out this entire city in a matter of seconds..."

"You'd have to get through me first."

And then I do it. I do the one thing that I myself agreed should get me killed. I barely see myself murder the man. I barely hear the breaking of the skin and ripping of the flesh as the kunai sinks deep into his neck. I barely smell the metallic stench of his evil. Thick, red evil, flowing out of his exposed veins like lava from a volcano. Acting on auto-pilot, I wipe the knife clean on his clothes, and slowly descend back down to the ground, not yet knowing what I've done. I turn around and walk back to the school, as if nothing even happened, as if I'm watching a movie and this body isn't mine. No thoughts. No emotion. No regret. Nothing yet.


	61. Chapter 61

_I cried... over a bird?_

_And I didn't even know it?_

_How could I forget what that flashback feels like?_

_It's like the world just stops and I'm taken back to that moment._

_All because of a bird?_

_..._

_Get a grip._

* * *

**\--Shadow POV--**

I hop off the windowsill and ignore the gunshots ringing in my head on my way back to 4B. Over and over again, blam blam blam, yet it only happened once? That vision of Maria just keeps on repeating like a broken record. It's a wonder that I'm not used to it yet. So I ignore it and force myself to think about other things. I get back in the dorm, wonder where Sonic is, realize that I don't care where he is as long as he's alright, log on to a computer, google how to do question six, confuse myself a little, think harder, start understanding, test a few questions, get them right, finish question six, remind myself of Rouge, and wonder how long she'll be angry with the librarian for.

...No more gunshots. Just silence. From my internal monologue and the outside world. I didn't know it was possible to think without an internal monologue. Abstract concepts, visualization, colours, shapes... it's very fast. One thought after another, without having to worry about grammar or a general direction. It's not exactly controlled. I could get lost in my head this way, and I've only just discovered that this is a thing that people can do? There are no words but I can still think? And somehow it translates? Is this how Espio thinks?

I guess I have some time to kill.

I take a piece of blank paper out of the tray at the desk and start drawing some thoughts as soon as they come into my head, letting my mind run free, and by 7am I have three or four pages full of my own abstract doodles, most of which mean an entire story to me, but would be like a foreign language to everyone else. Especially since the drawings are terrible. But it's somewhat relaxing, in an oddly stressful way.

And then the internal monologue comes back when I start looking more closely at the things I've drawn. No more silence, just a translation service. And most of it relates somehow to my confusion around Espio. And there's also a heck of a lot of yellow at the bottom of one of the pages, and I forgot what that meant as soon as I drew it. I stare blankly at the colorful swirls and sketches on the paper for a few seconds, and then grab it, scrunch it all up and bin it, before anyone can come back in here and see me drawing like a little child.

I timed it perfectly. The door bursts open just as I finish putting everything away. I turn around to see who came in, and say, "Sonic, is that you-"

"Who's in here?"

Espio slams the door and stands with his back to it, breathing heavily and staring at the wall opposite.

"Just me... why?" I ask.

I get no answer. I just watch the expression on Espio's face gradually shift from one of exhaustion, to one of horror. He lets out a small cry, and slowly slides down the door onto the floor, pulling his knees to his chest. He takes one look at his hands, and breaks down into an uncontrollable display of raw emotion. I watch him shake, and his body lurches with every strangled sob that escapes him, scales becoming darker and darker with every second. He punches the floor. Twice. Then he screams into his knees. And I wonder what the hell I'm witnessing. What do I do here? Do I sit next to him and hug him? Do I ask what happened? Do I mind my own business? No. I walk over to Espio and kneel next to him, placing a my hand on his shoulder. He looks up at me, distraught, and throws his arms around me and hugs me tight, crying onto my shoulder. And I let him.

If anybody hugs me, it's game over for them. I mean, hugs are just flesh donuts. Why do people get so offended when you don't want one? but I can make an exception just this once.

I wait for a while until he calms down a little, which doesn't take anywhere near as long as I thought it would. Is that the power of a hug? I gotcha? I'm here? You can cry onto my shoulder and it'll all be okay? I should really ask what happened to him. He said he was going for a walk. People don't just show up back from a walk like this-

"I've done something terrible, Shadow."

-unless something terrible happened.

I end the hug, and shuffle next to him, leaning against the door. We stare in the same direction. The wall at the other side of the room. The wall with Silver and Espio's bunks at it. It's an interesting wall when you have nothing else to look at.

"What did you do?"

"I-" he cuts himself off, taking a deep breath. "I'm so sorry..."

"Sorry? For what?"

"You'll hate me."

"Try me."

A long silence.

"I killed him. Robotnik. Eggman. Ivo. Whatever the fuck his name is- I don't even know anymore. He had his death egg in the skate park and he accused me of stealing the purple emerald and then he sent two weird robots at me and they had guns and they were shooting and I got angry and I-"

"Slow down," I demand, and pull him around to face me. He stops. "You did... you did _what_?"

"Don't make me say it again, I can't bear it..."

_And I can't bear to look at you._

I suddenly stand up and walk to the other side of the room, with my back to Espio. I lean into the corner and stare at my feet. He killed him. He killed Ivo. He just killed fifty percent of my entire family. Why mine? Why my family? My internal monologue begins to scream with rage. First Maria, then Ivo? Ivo is family. And Espio's taken part of it away from me. I hate him. Espio. Even more now than I'd ever hated Ivo.

"What did you use to kill him?" I ask, startling the both of us. Neither of us were expecting me to ask that.

"What do you mean?" He questions, his breathing finally slowing down a little.

"You'd better not have shot him."

"No. I stabbed him. It... it was quick."

"Thank fuck."

I don't think I'd have been able to handle it if Ivo was shot as well. I slowly look to my left, to my bed, to my phone, sat on my bed. I take it, and dial two numbers, and my thumb hovers over the third. But before I can even think about pressing it, Espio lunges towards me and snatches the phone out of my hands, protesting.

"No! I've already had to escape the police once when the Clan was terminated! You can't make me do that again!" he yells, without thinking, and after a few seconds he realizes what he's said. "No... forget I said that..."

" _Again?_ " I watch him panic, and step away from me, clutching my phone to his chest. And then it dawns on me. The Clan. The Robotropolis Shinobi Clan. They were on the internet. They were terminated because they were all killing each other or something. "I'm stood in a room with a serial killer, aren't I?"

"You can't call the police."

"Why not? You've killed a load of people."

"Two people. But... think about it. You're in a much worse situation than I am, Shadow."

"How so?"

"I was tricked into killing my ninja training partner. We were told to go into a deathmatch, and the winner would graduate from ninja school. Remember me telling you I'd graduated from ninja school over the pizza? That wasn't my fault."

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"Yes, I fully expect you to believe that. And Eggman, he was going to act on the plans. I had to stop him somehow, and with machines like those, he could have flattened Green Hill City in minutes."

I listen to Espio trying desperately to justify his actions. I'm not convinced.

"And you? You killed Silver in the height of a hissyfit over him stealing your nephew's precious gemstone."

"Okay one, didn't kill him. Two, I'd rather he had it than Ivo."

"Of course you killed him!" he shouts, almost too loud. "Don't you think he'd have come back by now for revenge? What did he say about the future? He tried so hard to stop that Iblis thing? The kid fights for justice, Shadow. He won't let this slide. Unless, of course, he's dead."

"He wouldn't have had time to recover from what I did to him. How long has it been? A week and a half?"

"Nonsense. He could have had an infinite amount of time. He's a time traveller. A week and a half means absolutely nothing in that context. He could have spent years in the future by now. And he hasn't come back for revenge?"

I find myself losing confidence during Espio's explanation. He has a point. And a damn good one.

"He's dead, Shadow. You killed Silver in the height of a hissyfit. And you didn't even bring back the body for his family to mourn. What does that make you, compared to me?"

_It makes me a worse person than him._

"So if you call the police," he continues, "then I'll make sure _everyone_ knows about what you did to Silver. Is that understood?"

"Yes," I sigh, accepting defeat. "Understood."


	62. Chapter 62

**\--Raster POV--**

"Any luck over dere, Lace? Over."

"Nothing here, Raster. Charmy's not having any luck either. Just snakes. What about you? Over."

"I'm almost back at teh South end. Nuffin so far 'ere either. Over an' out."

I shove the walkie-talkie back in my pocket an' continue walkin' down the beach. It's a calm mornin', an' it 'as been calm for the last few days. I can't see anybody getting themselves swept away in these conditions. Every so often I glance at the cliffs to my left, trying to find some evidence of a person falling down the side. Fresh rock falls, blood, bodies... nothing. Looking for bodies. It's a grim job but it's gotta be done, seeing as the local authorities aren't seein' this as a case of a missin' kid anymore, an' more of a case of a dead kid.

A couple hours an' a few instant lattes on my portable stove later, the sun passes well over my 'ead an' I start stugglin' to keep myself awake. I've been up for two days straight an' I'm piss tired. Bein' a detective's stressful enough on it's own without 'avin' sleep deprivation an' all. And I gotta pay Locke's rent with the money that ain't mine. And 'e's stopped payin' some back to Lacer to keep 'is house in good nick because apparently we can live for ourselves now we're gettin' more cases. And I'm fuckin' tired. But this Ms Vanilla or whoever has paid us in advance to find this kid, and I ain't lettin' 'er down. Fit as fuck, she is. Fuckin' milf right there.

An' then I see it. Summat green. Green? Didn't think this Silver kid were gonna be green. I mean, clue's in the name, right? And all I've gotta go by is a blurry photo of 'is scrunched-up face an' I can barely tell what colour's on that. I trudge though the sand a bit closer to the green thing, and see that it's wearing' a red thing, and it's spiky, and it's not a thing, it's a kid. It's the kid who 'itched in my car. Why's 'e 'ere?

I kneel down to 'im, and nudge 'is shoulder. Nothin'. No breathin', no nothin'. At the bottom of a cliff. He kept dodgin' my questions as to why he was 'itchin' 'ere. Real distant, 'e was. I should 'ave left 'im at Green 'Ill an' told 'im to go 'ome, 'cause this looks like a suicide to me.

What'd Lacer think? 'E always knows whatta do. A strong 'ire, 'e was. When I 'ired 'im I didn't think I'd 'ave competition for boss. Unfortunately 'e's better at keepin' the innocent alive and ninja-starin' everyone else than dealin' with the dead-uns. That's my job. But when it's my fault 'e's 'ere, what can I do?

I guess I oughta find out who 'e is first, 'cause 'e ain't Silver. That's for sure.

I kneel down an' pull 'is bag off 'is shoulders and the first thing I notice 'as nothin' to do with the bag. Shinin' in the midday sun, a medallion in the shape of a drum kit with two small rocks on the ends of the drumsticks catches my eye. I ditch the bag an' I pick the medallion up, and as soon as my hand makes contact with the stones, they start glowin'. Pink an' blue. An' they turn on an' off whenever I stop 'oldin' the thing. Touch-sensitive? 'Heartbeat? I know it ain't body 'eat 'cause I ain't got none. Strange.

Next, I go for the bag, an' realise I probably should've looked in there first and left this kid where I found 'im before leavin' my fingerprints all over 'im. Accordin' to these books in this bag, this kid's none other than Manic Felgate.

The fuckin' Felgates.

I never did keep up with the royals. It just don't appeal to me. Wouldn't recognize them royal kids if I 'ad a photo of 'em, an' I know the majority of people would 'ate that about me. The amount of witnesses seein' me pikcin' up one of the most precious people on the planet in my rusted ol' car, drivin' 'im away, and then disappearin'... I don't wanna think about that.

I sit at the edge of a rock pool lookin' out to the sea, watchin' the tide come in for a couple hours whilst I drink more portable caffiene than I've ever 'ad in my life, tryna think about what to do about this. GUN'd kill me. Literally. Zone Cops could 'elp me with the body but I don't wanna get involved with them, seein' as they're not centered on Mobius anyways and they probably don't give shit about the royals either... I should give Lacer a ring on the walkie-talkie.

And oh boy is that a mistake. Sometimes I wonder 'ow our Espio put up with this guy between his mother leavin' and me hirin' Lacer. One minute, he's a calm man. The next, he be screamin' down the phone at me tellin' me 'ow foolish I am, like I didn't already know. Then 'es rantin', sayin' we'll be ruined again, blamin' the Armadillos again even though they had nothin' to do with this fuck-up at all. I didn't kill the kid, did I? How was I to know that he'd do this? We'll be fine, an' if GUN kills me then at least nobody else is gonna be 'itch-'iking in my car. I shut off the talkie whilst 'e's explainin' everythin' to Charmy and jog for three hours straight back to my car, an' collapse in the driver's seat. I furiously battle the temptation just sleep right there, but I can't afford to sleep now. I drive sluggishly back to the rock pool, sleepily talkin' to GUN with my Bluetooth 'eadphones the entire way. I explain everythin' my tired ol' brain can remember. Our conversation, where I left 'im, where 'e is now, an' low an' behold they believe me. Somehow I'm not in trouble, even though I probably sound like I'm stoned. Even more caffiene an' another hour, up for 54 hours straight, they finally show up. Finally, I can close my eyes. It's pretty damn obvious that Silver ain't 'ere. An' I should be proud of myself. Solvin' cases that ain't even been set yet, an' rulin' out Wave Ocean.

Sleepin' in the car 'as never felt so good.


	63. Chapter 63

_"A fourteen-year-old hedgehog named Silver Venice has been reported missing, and authorities have sent multiple agencies to several locations to search for him, alive or dead. He attended Green Hill Academy for a short time, and is known to have a fascination with nature."_

* * *

_"The youngest member of the Mobian royal family, Manic Felgate, has been found deceased at the bottom of a cliff in Wave Ocean. It is believed that he committed suicide. His body was discovered by Raster Chasquido of the Chaotix Detective Agency."_

* * *

_"Doctor Ivo Robotnik, headmaster of the local private boarding school 'Green Hill Academy', was found dead in Green Hill Skate Park early this morning. He was discovered sitting in the cockpit of a rocket-bearing semi-spherical machine, with a deep slice through his neck and his head tied in place with cables. The cause of death appears to have been a murder. No witnesses have come forward. E-123 Omega, the deputy head of Green Hill Academy, will take over Robotnik's work until a living staff member steps forward."_

* * *

**\--Shadow POV--**

Weeks have passed since... since the incident. I don't think I've ever been more stressed in my life. Everyone's dying, and it all comes back to this school. Espio and I have been working especially hard to... avoid each other. Mostly me, actually. Every time I even get close to accidentally letting something slip, he just gives me that _look_. That 'we've made a deal, you break it, you're finished' kind of look. I won't admit it to anybody else, but I'm scared of him. And Gerald. I've been going home more often to check up on him and see how he is. He just keeps on re-living what happened to Maria, over and over again. He's descending into madness, but at least he's still sane enough to admit it. And Omega. He's been getting so much hate. A robot in charge of an entire school? Everybody despises the idea, even though he's better at his job than Ivo ever was. I bet he's wishing he let me set up that "Rights for Robots" campaign now.

"Shadow. I am worried about you. Your stress levels have been above seventy percent for over two weeks now. What is wrong?"

I look up from my desk in form, and look around me. Even though nobody else is here yet, I don't want to talk about anything. "I'm alright, Omega. Don't worry about me."

"You can talk to me if you wish, Shadow. I am your form tutor. It is my duty to make sure you are okay."

_Damn people-friendly adaptations..._

I don't asnwer him with anything more than a nod of my head, because the rest of the form begin to arrive. Nobody noticed any difference in me. I've always stayed away from the others, and even if I wanted to be social, I wouldn't unless I had to, and now I don't want to be social at all. For anybody who isn't me or Omega, it's a subtle difference that appears to go unnoticed. And today is the last day of term anyway. I can go home for two weeks, help Gerald to not drive himself insane, stop worrying about accidentally crossing Espio, and Omega can take a break. The day can't end soon enough.

Back in the dorm after all the lessons are over, I pack up my things as slowly as I can without making anyone suspicious, and I keep poking my head out of the window to see how many people remain on campus, and by five o'clock it's safe enough for me to go where I need to go. I gently pull my suitcase along the ground towards the area next to Communication and part the bushes behind the gate. I breathe a sigh of relief when I find the Chaos Emerald to still be there. I'm not going to take it. I don't need it. But it's here in case I ever do.

**\--Sonic POV--**

Could he have heard us? He must have. He dissappeared on the night that Tails was venting to me about how much he hated all of this. Manic's my brother. I know him. I know he wouldn't want to hurt anyone, even though he does. Even years ago when he was always stealing, I never lost hope that he can be a good person. He confuses me.

_"I didn't want to tell you that Manic picks on me too because I knew you'd be mad at him."_

Maybe Tails still saw something in him. He never did mention Manic being involved in the bullying until that day, and I always asked for honesty from him.

I've been thinking about this for weeks. I'm not getting anywhere.

As I sprint the four hundred miles to the other end of Green Hill, with the wind in my quills and the evening sun making me squint, I realize that maybe this wasn't even Manic's fault. He's always felt like a misfit among others. He's never been great with people. He needed somebody to give him confidence. Protect him. Let him shine, like on Annual Game Night, and let him realise his talent, like in Music, even if that somebody isn't even there. And yet he chose Scourge? Since then, he's been both an asshole and a fun-loving, kind-hearted brother, the latter only being when Scourge is gone. Could it be the Dickheads that drove him to do this? I could believe that. But I'll never know for sure.

Sonia's given up even trying to figure this out. She'd had it with him months ago.

**\--Espio POV--**

The Chaotix Detective Agency is back in business. Somehow. Father wrote a letter to me a couple of weeks ago, and he talked of how the Armadillos had finally finished making up for their debt, and now we were on our own. I re-read that paragraph a total of sixteen times, looking for any hint that I could stay friends with Mighty, and that his family were forgiven, but I found no such hint. Then I read about how Raster had let Manic hitchhike in his car, only for him to commit suicide afterwards. Could this have something to do with me letting him swap dorms? Like if that hadn't happened, he'd still be alive? Surely not. Surely something as small as that couldn't possibly cost a life. Raster was rewarded fondly by Queen Aleena for finding the body. 'Fondly' being nineteen hundred rings. It's not much, but it's more than what we had before. She didn't seem to mind that he was the one who brought Manic to Wave Ocean to start with. She said Raster wouldn't have known what was to happen.

Then father wrote about his journey to Mystic Jungle with Charmy, searching for a hedgehog called Silver Venice. When I wrote back, I was tempted to deny ever knowing him, let alone having slept in the same room. Having been in the same form. Having wrestled him out of a bush over a Chaos Emerald. But I figured, no. I wouldn't lie like that. So I simply said that I didn't know where he'd gone, and wished father luck in finding him.

In my defence, in case Silver's disappearance is ever traced back to me, I only had an illegal object in my possession for a couple of seconds, with no intention of using it. In fact, it might still be where Shadow left it. I certainly haven't moved it, so how anybody can frame me for this, I don't know.

_So why did I lie?_

No sooner than I'd posted the letter, another arrived. I didn't think I'd ever have to hope that the nineteen hundred rings wouldn't all be spent on first-class stamps, but there I was, hoping. I walked out of reception, pulling the envelope apart, the receptionist probably wondering why I'd received two letters in one day addressed with the same handwriting, and I pulled the letter out and almost dropped it in a puddle when I read it. A last-minute P.S. in a separate envelope because father had already sealed the first one. So I flipped over the envelope and found a little '2' on the back, and continued to read. I thought back to how I felt on that night when Pachacamac was arrested. And this felt exactly the same. The Chaotix had been assigned a new case.

Find Robotnik's killer.


	64. Chapter 64

**\--Espio POV--**

I've taken more things home with me than I would usually. On any other break, I'd leave my ninja weapons and letters at school under the floorboards where they are safe, but now I'm struggling for hiding places, I might as well bring them back with me. I guess I could put them under my bed. Nobody ever goes down there. I haven't looked under there for what must be years. I duck my head down, but not without knocking my horn on the bed frame, and I ignore the resulting soreness between my eyes whilst I look for a place to slot the box into.

I find myself dragging things out from under my bed and rearranging them, over and over until they fit as snugly among each other as possible. It's like a puzzle. There's something rather rewarding about finding a very small problem and then solving it in a very big way when you've got nothing else to do. Just when I'm starting to feel proud of myself for freeing up at least half of the space under my bed, I spot a strangely-shaped box in the corner, one of the only boxes I didn't move. It's not an ordinary box. Even if I don't know what's in it, I can't help but be drawn to it. I reach for it and pull it out, listening to how the cardboard rubs against the carpet.

_Why do I recognize this?_

I get the box in full view and blow the dust off it that appears to have spent years gathering, revealing some childish-looking Japanese written in purple marker: ' _Espio's shamisen, Do not touch_ '. My shamisen. Of course I recognize the box. This instrument used to be my mother's. She gave it to me when she moved to Yurashia, and until I was eleven, it was my number one priority to learn how to play it. Then high school happened, and I couldn't take it with me. I completely forgot about it after a month or two. I gently lift the lid and take the shamisen out of its soft casing and sit on my bed, holding it like I used to. It seems less big and awkward now. Maybe I really have grown. I wonder if I can still play it? I used to drive father nuts with it when I was younger. It shouldn't take long for me to get back into it again.

I begin by plucking the strings a few times with the pick, getting myself used to the sensation of playing an instrument again, and listen carefully to the sounds that the three individual strings make. It's still perfectly in tune. I have to consult Gooqle to remind myself of the combinations of finger placements to play all of the notes, but I quickly pick that back up. With every note I play, a new memory comes to mind. Every time I play a B, I remember Vector trying to sing along to some weird song I made up. Badly. Every time I play a D I remember the frustration involved with learning how to play a C sharp. I don't know how those are related, but they must be somehow. And then I play four or five notes in a weird order, and I recognize it.

_It can't be..._

I started to make up random songs when I got good at the shamisen. They never had words or meanings, I didn't even name them, I just did what sounded good to me. One of them, I was particularly proud of. On a Sunday evening about five years ago, when it was dark and raining outside and the fireplace was on and the house stank of soot and everything that the month of August smells like, father had decided to go out shopping somewhere. He took Vector, Knuckles and Charmy with him, so it was just Raster and I in the house. It never annoyed him when I experimented with made-up songs. If anything, he encouraged it. He'd listen, tell me which bits sounded slightly off, and then leave it up to me to work out how to fix it. So I made a song, and then we never spoke of it again after the others got back.

_Once upon a time, you could be a bad guy and you'd live to see another day..._

I start playing the song, trying my utmost to remember the notes and the timings. I didn't write it down. I did everything by memory.

_But now you'd never manage, boy, you'd be brain damaged if you think that you could get away..._

I know this song. It feels so familiar for reasons that aren't quite involved with that one rainy Sunday in August. And then I hit the pre-chorus and hesitate. The radio advert. It's my song. The song that Raster made is the one that he helped me to make on that one rainy Sunday in August! I find myself singing whilst I play.

"The power has arrived in a dream team, a force where one and one makes three. And when the trail's gone cold and the lies have been told, this crew will find what you can't see..."

_It's my song!_

"Yeah, danger hides where the hyper bee flies, and the ninja stars fly too. The muscle is Raster, the karma collector, and he's sworn to fight for you..."

I gain confidence, and the first smile since my fifteenth birthday finds a way onto my face.

"Team Chaotix! They're detectives you want on your side. Team Chaotix! Their directive's tracking down your crime. Come along for the ride, truth can run but not hide for long. The game is on now!"

And then I laugh. A genuine laugh. Not in a polite way, or in a forced way. And it startles me. What a life you must be living when you forget how it feels to laugh. And a piece of wood with a few strings on it can restore that feeling of happiness?

"Heheh, I were wonderin' 'ow long it'd take yeh teh realize," says a deep voice from somewhere behind my slightly open bedroom door. I go to the door and peek through the crack, and see Raster sat on the stairs, smiling. "Yeh got some real talent, young kid."

He looks up at the door and sees me looking at him, and winks. He used my song in the ad and he knew full and well that I would remember it someday. If that's not going to get me back into the shamisen, I don't know what will.

_Oh, Raster, I could hug you..._


	65. Chapter 65

**\--Espio POV--**

"Wakey-wakey Espio... we've got work to do... hehe!"

_Warm liquid. On my face._

I sit up almost violently and shake my head before lunging for the tissue box next to my bed, but I'm met halfway by a hysterical bee. Fuming, I look up at Charmy, who's hovering in the air and leaning back from laughing so hard, and clutching a water pistol to his chest.

"HAHA! That was _soooooo_ funny! Vector's gonna be real proud of me!" he laughs. I'm not amused.

"Give me that-" I say, snatching the pistol from his hands and peering inside the water tank.

"Jeez, Espio, it's just a bit of warm water-"

"Vector told you to do this?" I ask, sternly.

"Ya-huh! Why?"

"Warm water my ass..."

I put the tank back onto the pistol, clicking in place as I swing my legs out of my bed, half expecting there to be a ladder there, and smacking my heels on the floor when there isn't. I scowl, and march out of my room and down the stairs.

"Um, Espio? Where are you going with that?"

I ignore Charmy, and take a left at the bottom of the stairs and head into the living room, where Vector is sat alone on the couch, hands behind his head, listening to whatever music he listens to. I stand directly in front of him, ready to give him a piece of my mind, but his eyes don't open. It's as if he doesn't even know I'm here. Maybe I should give him a taste of his own medicine.

I aim the pistol right between his eyes and pull the trigger hard, soaking his face until he finally notices, and even then he doesn't flinch. He just opens his right eye, and bursts into laughter. He laughs for a full minute, then Charmy comes downstairs and joins in. When will Vector realise that _this is not funny_? I throw the pistol at his head and shove Charmy to the side before running back upstairs and locking myself in my room. They're never going to let me live this down. Hey, remember when Espio went off sulking in his room because Charmy put water on him to wake him up? I swear to god, if they ever bring this up again I will make sure that the water in that pistol is boiling.

"Espio! Come back! We've got work!" Charmy shouts.

"And I've got yet another thing to sulk about!" I reply.

"Awh, come on, Es! Ya know I didn't mean teh annoy yeh!"

_That's exactly what you meant to do, Vector._

"Surely yeh wanna 'elp us wiv lookin' for Robotnik's killeh, right?"

_Oh shit._

"We get teh snoop round 'is 'ouse today an' everythin'! De others are already in da car! Come on!"

_There were no witnesses. I did it invisibly. I've never been to Robotnik's house. They have nothing against me._

_..._

_I'm coping with this way too well._

"Yeah, I'm coming, Vector, just give me a sec!"

I lean against my door and take a deep breath, holding it for a few minutes, and finally breathing out again when I begin to get dizzy. Literally only to prevent myself from punching the wall. Because Shadow lives at Robotnik's house too, and there's a good chance that he'll be home. He knows the deal. He understands the situation. Only a fool would try to drop me in it in the state that he's in. And he was fool enough to try to kill Silver. Is he dead? I don't know. I can't know for sure, but the only way I'm getting Shadow to keep quiet about me killing Ivo is to make him believe that Silver really is dead, and the cover-ups are wearing thin.

"ESPIO!!!!"

"Yes! I'm coming, dammit!"

I get myself ready, then pull on my shoes and tuck the laces into the sides, not bothering to tie them because they were always a bit snug anyways, and I run back down the stairs, out the door, and hop into the back of father's seven-seater next to Knuckles.

"Jees, Espio, I thought you'd never wake up!" he exclaims. I ignore him and stare out of the window as father pulls out of the gravel driveway. I listen to the sound of the pebbles crunching over each other beneath the tires and begin to wonder how much they can take before they're ground into dust. My brain will be ground into dust soon, I know that much. Or would it be a paste? Surely I'm not that dry. So if my brain were to be ground into a paste then it would all leak out through my face. It would be like that ancient Efrikan practice where they'd pull the Pharaoh's brains out through their face holes before sealing them in a tomb. That can't be a pleasant experience. But if my brains had been ground into paste then I wouldn't be conscious long enough to experience that kind of leakage. I'd rather keep my brain in one piece, thank you very much. But it's already inside out, upside down, and out the window so how much worse can that be?

"So, who's in charge of this one, then?" Knuckles asks, after giving up trying to talk to me.

"I think I should take charge," father starts. "I'm the brains of this organization. I also possess some peculiar spy skills. I'm smart. I'm quick on my feet. I also happen to be a ninja-"

"Barely," I scoff. "You quit before you were even halfway into the course."

"Okay, I also happen to possess some ninja abilities."

"He's also full of himself," Charmy groans, rolling his eyes.

"It's better to be full of myself than to be an obnoxious pipsqueak."

"I thinks I oughta take charge on dis one," Raster volunteers, before father and Charmy start arguing. "I mean, I am yeh guys' boss after all. Now can we please not argue 'bout who's betteh at everythin' until we get dere?"

"And how long will that be, oh wise one?"

"Why yeh askin' me, Knux? It's Lacer dat's drivin!"

Knuckles, Vector and Charmy exchange smirks. Father's driving isn't exactly brilliant. I remember one time where he reversed into a wall and the wall took more damage than the car. And another time when he spun out in the middle of a level crossing. Thankfully it was just him and the dash cam in the car, so if he did get smacked by a train, I would have cared a lot less than if someone else was in there with him. And every time we've had to use the seven-seater instead of the Chaotix SUV, Raster's been refusing to drive.

"We'll be about an hour," Lacer explains. So probably about forty minutes with the way he breaks the speed limits. Maybe if I just keep quiet at Shadow's place... No. Would I stay silent during a detective day usually? Of course not. I just need to act normal. Not do anything unusual, not try to be too normal. It's a fine balance, but I think I can handle it.

I really hope I can handle it.


	66. Chapter 66

**\--Shadow POV--**

Third and final bag... cans in the cupboard... microwave meals in the fridge... ice in the freezer... done. Done with this shit. If it wasn't for self-service checkouts then I'd insist upon doing the grocery shopping online. Now Ivo's not here, this whole shebang's gonna be my job. Gerald's too unstable to get himself out of the house. Fuck knows who's gonna do the groceries when I'm back at school. Heck, I don't even know how we're getting money any more. The government doesn't have any proof that Gerald even exists. Money's probably coming from gambling on those apps he uses or some shit, I don't know. I don't care. I've stopped caring. There are places I could go if I needed them.

I fold up the bag-for-life and put it with the others under the fridge, before walking across the hallway to the bottom of the stairs. I've only climbed a few steps when the sound of incoherent mumbling stops me. I silently return to the ground floor and tiptoe towards the living room, poking my head around the door frame. Gerald stands at the mantle, clutching a photograph of him and Ivo in his left hand, murmuring something about vengeance, with a small bottle of alcohol in his right. He's well and truly lost it. I shake my head and go back upstairs, and I'm stopped again by a knock at the door.

_Will I ever get up the damn stairs?_

I turn around and start going back down again, but Gerald's got it handled. He opens the door and is immediately shown a card.

"Raster Chasquido o' da Chaotix Detective Agency, we arranged?"

"Yes, sir, come right in."

Arranged? Arranged what? I wasn't told about this. I crouch at the top of the stairs in the dark, and watch Gerald step to the side, allowing the Chaotix inside. I involuntarily shrink back a little further when I see Espio. I knew he was part of the Chaotix, but even if I did know that they were coming to inspect us, I wouldn't have expected Espio to be here as well. I slowly stand up and step backwards towards my room, but a floorboard creaks. Espio looks up at me directly. Then there's that look. As if he hasn't already made the deal clear to me.

I hate everything about this. I never take orders from people. Nobody tells me what to do. And yet I'm scared of a chameleon and the things that he is capable of. When did I change?

Gerald talks to the older chameleon for a while, whom I can only assume to be Espio's dad. He was never on the news or anything like Raster was. Maybe he's the behind the scenes guy. Taking calls, doing the papers, and whatever else a guy working for a detective does. Gerald points the team in the general direction of the basement.

"Ivo's been doin' some... weird shit down there and... he got me to help him and kept erasing my memory again and again and again afterwards," he says drunkenly, slurring his speech. "Can't remember shit for nothing. Don't even know fucking password or shit. He don't tell me shit."

"So we just don't have a password. Great," Knuckles says.

"The password is E-G-G," I blurt, not yet knowing where I'm going with this. Everyone turns to look at me.

"How d'ya know that? And what're you doing up there?" Gerald asks.

I ignore the second question, and explain that it was in Ivo's password book in his room, lying through my teeth and praying that nobody will make me get it. The book definitely exists, but I have no idea if the password is in there.

"'E-G-G' you say..."

"Lacer!" Raster shouts. That must be the name of Espio's dad. "I thought I were takin' charge 'ere!"

"Be quiet," Lacer scolds, typing in the three letters on the keypad. The light turns green and the iron door opens. Lacer and Raster begin to make their way down the stairs.

_The stairs!_

"WAIT!" I shout, about to tell them about the sixth step, but I stop myself. I can't let them know that I've been down there. Thinking fast, I instead say, "Don't you think you ought to check what's down there first before walking blindly into it? I don't want to tell you how to do your job but at least see if it's got extra security."

Espio looks from them, to me, and back to them, piecing things together. "He's right. Check it for traps."

Lacer hesitantly takes pencil and an eraser out of his pocket, and throws them down the stairs, and when the eraser bounces off the sixth step, the lasers briefly appear, slicing the pencil in half.

"Clever boys..." he says under his breath, slowly descending down the stairs and carefully avoiding the sixth step. We follow.

This always was a small house, and the basement even smaller. I don't think there's ever been a situation where eight people would need to be in here at once. Granted, the bee's tiny, but Vector and Raster's size must make up for that. I stand in the corner furthest from Gerald's life support system, and look at Knuckles leant lazily on the iron door at the top of the stairs.

"So, Lacer," he asks. "What happened to 'I'm smart'? And 'I'm quick on my feet'?"

"Shut up," he snaps. I don't know what it is about this guy, but my god does he seem like an asshole. He slowly walks over to the life support system, and stares at it. "What in the world is this?"

I explain. "It's the orange Chaos emerald rigged up into the machine that keeps Gerald alive. He takes Chaos energy from it once a day-"

"Don't be ridiculous, there is no orange Chaos emerald." Lacer keeps staring at it before coming to a conclusion. "It must be the yellow one. It seems as if the Chaos energy is being drained from it so quickly that it's been discolored. And this is illegal. But I'll let you off until we've found any evidence that suggests this is related to Robotnik's death," he explains. "And I'm not one for letting people off easily."

Espio and I exchange glances. His dad really is an asshole, alright.

"Espio," he shouts suddenly. "You and the Hedgehog look through his computer while the rest of us search this room."

"It's Shadow," I inform bitterly, joining Espio at the desk. He turns on the computer, which isn't locked, and then he hesitantly begins sifting through every app on the taskbar from left to right, beginning with the email app. He opens it, and finds nothing in the inbox or the deleted items. Then he head to sent items, and my heart almost stops. I forgot to delete the email from sent items. The one that I sent from Ivo's email address to my school email. Espio looks up at me, still not talking to me, and then he hovers his cursor over the delete button.

_Is he really going to bail me out?_

He presses delete, then refreshes the email, heads into deleted items and deletes the email permanently. He looks over his shoulder, then opens Notepad and types in a single sentence.

_"Did you delete it too?"_

I shake my head.

_"Do it now."_

I look over my shoulders, and pull my phone out of my pocket. I head onto the school network app and remove any trace of the email ever appearing on the system. I then head into my documents folder and delete the files from there too. I nod my head, and Espio gets back to searching the computer. Why would he do that? To show that he can be trusted? To guilt-trip me into not telling anybody about what he did to Ivo, just in case I was going to? But I'm not complaining. This guy just saved me from having to explain this all over again.

**\--Espio POV--**

So I just saved Shadow's skin. Would that make me a good person or a terrible one? Frankly, I don't care. It's just what I thought I should do. That gut-feeling that this was the right thing to do. Oh how I wish I had a gut feeling telling me to not kill Robotnik. Things would have been so much easier in the long-run if I had that. I go back to the desktop and find the "World Domination" folder, buried in a cluster of other shortcuts. One by one, I open the individual documents, and try my hand at cracking this cipher.

It really is a strange one.

Between the paragraphs of perfectly understandable English, there is the odd paragraph of cipher. Or at least, it looks like a cipher. It can't be. There are only six symbols, grouped and alternating in colour. And yet these six symbols are creating entire sentences. There can't be one symbol per letter. There can't be one symbol per syllable. There can't even be one symbol per word because a paragraph made of the same six words would make zero sense whatsoever. It could be a distraction, but then why omit entire sentences of annotation? Nobody has a memory of that strength even with an IQ of three hundred. This is nothing like any of the code I studied in Computer Science. All I can think of would be that each symbol has a value, each letter has a value, and the value a group of coloured symbols totals up to equal the value of a letter. And the value of the symbols and the letters are only known to Robotnik. That's all I can think of that could possibly work. It's genius, yet it's maddeningly unhelpful.

"Shadow?" I ask. He looks at me. "Go and find that password book. There may be something useful in there."

He nods his head, leaves, and after a few minutes he returns with the book. I flick through every page, and my suspicions are confirmed. I guess there are good things about my brain after all. I carefully decrypt the code and then the gut feeling that I've been wishing I had since I killed Robotnik finally comes. And it's not the gut feeling I'd hoped it would be.

_"This is a Death Egg, fitted with five hundred and seventy horsepower rockets, fit for driving the Death Egg straight into orbit. Equipped is a laser, capable of firing a beam the width of nineteen football fields. Once in orbit, the Egg will automatically line itself up with the moon, and the laser will blow the moon to pieces. This procedure will be the first of many designed to force society to surrender to the Eggman Empire."_


	67. Chapter 67

**\--Shadow POV--**

Gerald slowly closes he door behind the Chaotix after they've all left the house. I stand at the kitchen window and watch them drive away, past Silver's house, and round the corner until I can't see them anymore. They found nothing suggesting who killed Ivo, but they know a lot more than they did before.

_"If anything, we should be thanking whoever killed this psychopath. We could be facing a world war at this very minute if Robotnik was left alive."_

Fuck you, Lacer. He was my nephew.

I go into the living room and snatch the alcohol bottle out of Gerald's hand before he can intoxicate himself further, and take a swig of it myself. The alcohol burns the back of my throat and I pull a face in disgust. Gerald doesn't even bother to make an attempt to get the bottle back.

"Gerald I know you hate everything about this, but that doesn't mean I'm letting you become an alcoholic."

He doesn't answer. He just lays there on the sofa in silence. I sit in the armchair across the room and watch him for a while, wondering what he's thinking. Knowing I ought to tell him. What state is he in to go to the police? They'll think he's delusional. If I tell him what Espio did, explain everything, he'll probably cheer up a bit. He'll have something to direct his anger at, and if he keeps getting drunk like this, he'll kill himself before the police even see his face. I can't let Espio control me like this forever.

"I know who killed him," I say, waiting for a reaction.

He looks up at me and lifts his goggles to look into my eyes. His eyes aren't as blue as they used to be. They're paler, with years of Ivo's abuse and manipulation evident somewhere behind the surface of them. They're almost gray.

"Who was it?" he asks, shakily.

"The younger chameleon. Espio."

And then he starts screaming at me. Yelling and asking why I didn't tell him sooner. So I tell him about the blackmail between verbal threats. I try to tell him about how I sneaked into the basement, how Espio found out about the files, how I accidentally killed Silver, how Espio killed Ivo and then how he somehow got me to keep quiet about it all. I have to duck beneath punches and dodge attacks and compete in a shouting war to get Gerald to understand. And eventually he does. He sits back down on the sofa in a thoughtful pose, and I rub my neck where he grabbed it during his fit of anger. Then he slowly stands and walks halfway down the hallway to the iron door, types the password into the keypad and goes inside. He steps over the pressure plate and goes to the chair at the computer desk. I wonder what he could possibly be doing when he leans down to inspect the upholstery. And then he stands back up straight, pinching something between his gloved fingers.

"What is that?" I ask.

"One of the boy's scales. I suspected he may have left some trace here."

From the top of the stairs I squint my eyes and look carefully at the translucent purple scale in Gerald's hand. That's definitely Espio's.

"What are you going to do with it?"

He hesitates before answering, slowly closing his fist around the scale. "Avenge Ivo. Don't worry, I have a plan."

He pulls his goggles back over his eyes and walks to the other end of the basement, fitted with all sorts of weird machines that I didn't bother to look at either time I've been in here. Avenge Ivo? That could only mean one thing and I don't like it one bit.

"What do you mean?" I ask, playing dumb. Both of us know that I know exactly what he means, but I want to hear him say it. I want to hear this plan.

"You're younger and fitter than I am, Shadow," he starts, pulling a heal unit out of the old heal unit server that we brought down from the Ark. It surprised me that the Chaotix didn't try to take it and hand it over to the health services. In fact, I'm not sure anyone even looked at it except for Raster. They all went through the computer and then they were gone. Gerald continues. "I always wanted to avenge Maria but I never had the chance. Now I have a piece of this boy... we can make sure that he gets just what he deserves."

"And what would that be?"

Gerald flicks a few switches on the heal unit, and pulls a spanner out of the nearby drawer before sighing his answer. "You kill him."

I can't believe my ears. I stand there on the top step, leaning over the banister and staring at the back of Gerald's head, refusing to believe my ears.

"Come again?" I question, praying that I heard him wrong. That my instinct was wrong.

"I said, you kill him! If I were a well man I would do it myself!" he shouts.

_...Now what? He wants me to kill Espio? I mean... I guess that would work in my favour. He can't grass on me, Gerald will be happy... no! I can't kill Espio! Then we'd be just as bad as each other._

I try to reason with him. "Gerald, there must be another way."

"For as long as he's blackmailing you, there is no other way. I'm formulating a plan. It will work."

"Give me one example of a plan of yours that worked," I shout, losing my patience with this drunkard. He hesitates before answering.

"You, Shadow. You worked."

"Maria."

He winces. "Don't you DARE bring Maria into this."

"I will bring whoever and whatever I want into this," I snarl, not giving in. "I am _not_ going to kill Espio."

Gerald sighs, placing Espio's dislodged scale into a small box. He turns back around to the heal unit, and moves a few wires around. Then he leans into the cupboard and pulls out a jar of mice labelled 'test subjects'. He opens it, and pulls one mouse out by its tail, laying it on the table. I watch it squirm under his grip, squeaking quietly through the silence. I watch Gerald pull out a whisker and fasten it inside the modified heal unit, and then he flicks the switch and leans back. And instead of healing the mouse, it kills it. It slowly dissolves the rodent until it is a mere pile of ash on the table.

"What if I told you," Gerald starts, "that if you didn't kill Espio, I'd let your secrets slip?"

"No. I've fallen for blackmail once. I won't fall for it again."

"Give it a week," he insists. "Give it a week, and I'm sure you'll come round. I only want what's best for you, Shadow, and you know it."

He climbs back up the stairs to me, and he gently pushes me down onto the pressure plate. Dumbfounded by his strange actions, I only remember what the pressure plate means when I hear the click, and the lasers surround me. Then he disappears to the kitchen, and returns with some fast-setting glue. He pours the entire bottle underneath the small gap between the pressure plate and the stairs, sticking it down. And I just stand there and let him do it because I don't know what else to do.


	68. Chapter 68

**\--Espio POV--**

Mighty and I have been exchanging messages for days. We've lost sleep because of it, but we don't care. We don't care about our families forbidding our contact. We just message eachother on the group chat and keep each other company whilst the world falls apart around us. Soleanna's a political mess, Omega's getting all sorts of things written about him in the papers simply because he's a headmaster now and everyone's trying to overthrow him, and father's got detective work coming out of his ears. I've been staying well out of his way. I've learnt over the years that when he's stressed, he gets angry. Really angry. And the more I try to reason with him, the more illogical he becomes. And he wonders why nobody likes him. Even Raster's losing his patience, and yet he still won't fire the man because it's him who's keeping the Chaotix together. I find myself wishing that the Chaotix would just end already. It brings more trouble than good.

I lay in my bed well into the early afternoon, messaging Mighty and re-living our fondest memories. I make the mistake of telling him about the Smurf situation, and the second I hit send I regret it, knowing that he's never going to let me live that down for as long as I live. He tells me about that one time he managed to get stuck in the ropes in the wrestling ring when he tried to do that thing that the professionals do and climb through them in all those weird and wonderful ways. And then the conversation turns to the times where we cringed the most, and the most embarrassing things we ever did. We become torn between singing Karaoke songs at the top of our lungs in the middle of a family gathering and that one time where Mighty forgot the word for 'tissue' so he had to ask me for a 'sneeze paper'. And then he reminds me of that one time I literally mailed him a packet of candies with hearts on them because I was completely clueless on how to deal with asking someone out, and we agree that that is by far the worst of the lot.

Then father shouts me to come downstairs and help him make lunch, so I leave Mighty a simple 'brb' and I leave my phone on my bedside table and head down. I help father with dinner without talking to him, because everything I say at the moment is the wrong thing. He asks me how to make the sauce, so I ask Charmy to go get my phone off my bedside table for me so I can look it up, and when he comes back down the stairs with it, I know I've fucked up.

"Espio has the big gay!~" he sings, scrolling through my messages on the group chat. Father and I freeze on the spot, then stare at each other for a few seconds, then both of us lunge for the device at the same time, but father gets to it first. Charmy immediately stops singing, realizing that he's crossed a line today. Father looks between me and Charmy in silence, and then down to the phone. And I watch him read every single message. Rage, embarrassment, fear, internalized homophobia... I've never felt a combination like it. I have to force myself not to break down then and there, but the shaking still gets through. I am so in for it now.

Father finishes reading and takes a long sigh, before throwing my phone at the wall. It chips the paintwork and the screen smashes. And then he stands still, facing the other way, and I'm surprised that that's all he did. And then, one word.

"Why?"

I walk around to where he's facing and look up at him, desperately trying to figure out what he's thinking, and failing. "Why... why what?"

He turns away from me again, and waves for Charmy to get out.

"You hate that I'm gay, don't you?" I ask, shamefully.

"...I couldn't care less about your sexuality, you fool," he growls. Then he spins around and leans into my face before I can make a move, and screams, "WHY MIGHTY?"

**\--Knuckles POV--**

Vector and I stop talking and start listening. Charmy flies into the living room looking like he's going to burst into tears at any minute. He sits on Vector's lap and listens with us. To Lacer and Espio, yelling each other's faces off in the kitchen.

"I swear, it's not like that anymore! I'm over him!"

"It didn't seem like that in your silly little messages, did it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know damn well what I mean! I read people's body language for a living and you still like that rat!"

"Mighty is not a rat!"

"HE MIGHT AS WELL BE!"

And the shouting continues. All logic goes to pot in the kitchen, and Vector and I just listen, with Vector keeping his hands over Charmy's ears whilst he cries and tells us to yell at him because he knows he caused this by outing Espio. And the kid's right. But just because this is his fault doesn't mean I'm mad. Not at him, anyway.

"I keep telling you, Mighty is trouble. You know the saying, Espio, like father like son!"

"Like father like son? Are you mad?"

"No madder than you are."

There's silence for a few seconds, and I hear Espio reply in a calmer manner than I ever imagined he would after being called mad. "Well then I demand an explanation from the sanest person here: In what way am I similar to you?"

Lacer doesn't answer.

"Exactly," Espio says. "We're not similar at all. And yet you expect Mighty to be just like the man you fired?"

"Then in what ways are we different? I demand an explanation from the madman."

And then Espio completely loses all sense of composure. "Well, I don't give up at the first sign that things are going to get difficult. And I don't hold grudges for any longer than I need to. And I don't force people to change their entire personality until I approve. And I don't sign people up to illegal organisations without letting them know that they're breaking the law every day of their life. And I don't turn a blind eye when a seven-year-old is quite literally traumatized because of it!"

Another silence.

"I signed you up to that clan for your own good, son."

I'm not mad at Charmy. I'm proud of him. Sure, he did a bad thing, but what have we learnt? That Lacer is an asshole? That he thinks making Espio go through all of this shit with the clan is _justified_? I'm not mad at Charmy, I'm mad at Lacer, and I have never been madder.

"Don't call me 'son'," Espio snarls. "You're no father of mine."

I get a short glimpse of him as he runs out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Then I hear shuffling coming from his room. Then he runs back downstairs with a bag, and then he grabs his jacket next to the front door and throws it on. Then he flashes his middle finger at Lacer just before he slams the door behind him, and then he's gone.

**\--Espio POV--**

I sit on the same bench in the center of Robotropolis as I sat at months ago. When Pachacamac was arrested. When most of the clan were shot. I stay for hours, until the sun sets and darkness dominates the city. I'm going to get on the train to the airport, and I'm going to go to Yurashia. I've got a good idea of where I need to go, and if I need directions for the Yagyu Clan, I can just ask, seeing as I speak the language with some level of fluency. That's probably the only part of my ninja training that's actually proving useful. I stand up off the bench, and begin a slow walk to the station. And I need to contact Mighty. I need to tell him that he'll never see me again.


	69. Chapter 69

**\--Shadow--**

"On the count of three, you jump. One... two... three!"

I jump as Gerald, now sober, throws all his weight onto the crowbar, dislodging the pressure plate and switching off the lasers. It's safe to say that this has been the worst week of my life. Stuck in the same half-meter square with only a bucket to use for the necessary bodily functions. So I won't "talk". So I won't "tell anyone about the plan". So I'll "come round". All week I've been watching Gerald mess around with the heal units, adding extra parts and removing others. All week I've been battling with my left thigh cramping up until I can do nothing but cry for hours on end. Whatever dignity I had left is long gone now. I step off the pressure plate, trembling, knowing that Gerald's going to make me go along with this plan whether I like it or not. Knowing that if I refuse again, things are going to get so, so much worse.

"Well?" he asks.

I lower my head, finally giving in. "I'll kill him. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it."

"Attaboy," he says, beaming. He takes my hand and helps me limp down the stairs against my left leg's will to the modified heal unit. "I call this a death unit, capable of disintegrating the target DNA within a radius of sixty feet."

He suddenly yanks a quill from the top of my head and places it in the death unit next to Espio's scale before continuing.

"When this unit is detonated, you will have thirty seconds to get out of the radius. You will know when you're out of the radius because the unit will mark it for you. Only you and Espio will be able to see these markings. I need you to plant this unit outside of the Chaotix Detective Agency whilst Espio is in there, detonate it, and then get out of the way. Do you understand?"

I nod my head. I was hoping that when he'd sober up, he'd see sense, but he hasn't. Gerald follows me upstairs, where I change my clothes and tend to my hygiene for the first time in a week. Whilst my quills are still slightly damp, I gather them behind my head and tie them in place with an elastic band, before securing them in the hood of a black hoodie. Gerald gives me the death unit and a train ticket to Robotropolis, and I place both of them in my pocket. We head back downstairs, and he pats my back and opens the door for me.

"Good luck," he says, smiling. I nod, and step out into the darkness of the night.

I keep my head down as I walk to Green Hill station. My leg still hurts but at least I can actually use it now. I turn in the ticket, and get on the train, pulling my hood down to seem less suspicious. It's busy at the start, but throughout its journey to Robotropolis more people get off than on, and by the time I reach my destination, I'm the only one left on the vehicle. It comes to a stop for the final time, and I step off onto the platform. I look up as I pull my hood back over my head, and I see none other than Espio at the kiosk, staring right at me. He looks down at the train ticket in his hand that he just bought, and tucks it into his pocket.

"What are you doing here?" we ask simultaneously.

"I need to talk to you alone," I say.

"But I'll miss the train."

"You won't need the train."

I grab his wrist and walk him out of the station. He doesn't protest, and I wonder if his week has been as bad as mine. I take him to a run-down and deserted part of the Robotropolian city center, and down to the back of an alley before finally letting go.

"Why did you bring me here?"

I decide to improvise. I stand behind Espio, blocking the exit from the alleyway, and I tell him the truth.

"Gerald has ordered me to kill you. He wants me to avenge Ivo for him. I don't want to do this, Espio, I really don't, but I don't think I'd be able to take it if I didn't. Another week like the one I've had... I don't even want to think about what that would do to me. It's selfish, but I have to do this for my own good. I hope you understand. Do... do you understand?"

Espio nods his head. Which surprises me. I was expecting him to at least put up a fight.

"Of course I understand. You killing me doesn't sound half bad at the moment anyway," he says. And I find myself feeling a little sorry for him, even if I don't know why he's saying what he is. "This might sound like a strange request but... can you... make it painful? It's what I deserve."

I stare at Espio with confusion. Maybe he's not all bad. Maybe him having control over me was his way of gaining control over this entire situation, because it's not nice when you're not in control and the law's involved. It's a dick way of doing it but... I understand.

"I've been given means to kill you. I don't know how painful it is, I've only seen it tested on mice."

Espio sits on the ground and leans against the brick wall. I sit next to him, trusting him not to run, and we both stare at the clear night sky. And after a few minutes, I decide that enough is enough. I came here to do a job and gain vengeance, not to stargaze. I take the death unit out of my pocket and click the switch.

"Thirty seconds," I say. "Thirty seconds after I flicked that switch, all of our DNA within a sixty feet radius will be dissolved. I need to get out of here now. I am so sorry."

"No, I deserve it, but before you go... before I go..." Espio starts, "...Tell Charmy I love him. The little bee. I don't care how, just make sure he knows."

_His last wish... To pass on a message..._

The death unit beeps. My eyes dart towards the timer on the display. Ten seconds.

"Run!" Espio shouts, and when I don't run, he shouts louder. "RUN, SHADOW!"

I step backwards, and then turn on my heel and sprint as fast as my weak legs will let me, towards the marker on the ground. I turn back around for a brief second, and watch a semi-spherical dome of yellow get emitted from the death unit, swallowing Espio, with nothing but his groans of agony escaping the light. I run faster than I've ever ran before, but it's not fast enough. The dome catches up to me and I begin to stumble. I trip over my own feet and face-plant on the floor with the majority of my body over the marker, but my left foot is still engulfed by the death unit's power. It feels like sandpaper. I scream as my foot is ground up by the sandpapery yellow dome, and I focus all of my remaining strength to slowly dragging myself out of the radius. I crawl to the nearest lamp post, and wrench off my shoe to look at the damage.

My foot is a mess. Entire chunks of flesh have been ground down to a bloody mess, exposing much more bone than I was prepared to see. I have to catch the blood with my shoe before it falls on the ground, so nothing can be traced back to me outside of the radius either. Fighting back tears, I look up at the dome and watch it gradually fade away, and then I see what's left of Espio. Just a pile of blood and clothes. I've done it. I've avenged Ivo. I pull my phone out of my pocket with a shaky hand, and dial Gerald's number.

"Come pick me up," I pant. "I don't think I can walk. Also, bring a towel."


	70. Chapter 70

**\--Shadow POV--**

I slowly open my eyes and find myself staring at a ceiling. It's one of those patterned ceilings with the swirls, and I follow the swirls until they disappear into a magnolia wall. The living room wall. When did I get here? The last thing I remember is asking Gerald to come pick me up.

"Ah, you're awake," says a voice coming from somewhere behind me. All my senses are mashed up, I don't have the strength to turn and see who it is. He continues. "You were out cold from blood loss when I got to you, Shadow. You're lucky the speed limit along the highway is as high as it is. It didn't help that I had to clean your blood off the tarmac when I got to you."

It's Gerald. Part of me feels relieved that it's only him. Another part of me is fearful of what he'll say when I eventually have to tell him about exactly why I had to improvise, seeing as he probably thinks that I'd gained some satisfaction from killing Espio. And the rest of me feels incredibly numb, almost like I'm floating. Blood loss, he said?

"What happened after I blacked out?" I ask, with more ease than I thought I would. And then some sensation comes back to my skin and I feel Gerald rigging up his Chaos energy support system to me. The energy flows through my veins, warming me up again until I can finally process things correctly again. And the ceiling stops swirling and the wooden beams straighten.

"Well I cleaned up the blood and I got you in the car and I drove you home and it's been about six hours. Not a lot's happened."

He removes his left glove and places his hand on my forehead.

"You're warming up now. I'll go grab a heal unit for your foot."

I slowly sit up on the sofa as Gerald leaves and take another look at my leg. This time it's cocooned in white bandages with small red stains where the blood is trying to seep through, and a tourniquet further up my shin. Though it's not much of a tourniquet because I can fit two fingers underneath it. Then I hear Gerald returning and I lay back down again before he can see me criticizing his first aid skills. He returns to the living room with the heal unit, and he sets it down between my feet. Then he points to my head. Remembering what he did last time, I pull out a quill and hand it to him. He clicks it into the unit and sets the radius, and my legs are engulfed in a blue dome this time. I get an awful sensation in my left foot, and to some extent in my shins, like pins and needles but majorly intensified. I let out a small moan of discomfort and watch as Gerald removes the bandage and the poorly done tourniquet.

And my left foot looks completely normal, as if it was never mangled in the first place. I bring my knees to my chest and prod my foot and everything feels completely normal. Though I'm not sure what the feeling in my shins was all about. I part the fur on my legs and run my hands over them, and then I realize that not only does the heal unit fix injuries, but it patches up scars too. A wave of sadness comes over me. The scars on my legs are completely gone. It's like a part of my identity has been stolen from me, and the story of how I found it in the first place has been forgotten. And it's not like I can get it back. I can't cut my legs again to put the scars back because the meaning behind them won't be the same. They'll be some cheap replacement of an irreplaceable and unique thing that was mine and mine only and I wanted to keep it for as long as I had legs, and now I have a pair of legs that don't even feel like they're mine. I look up at Gerald, trying not to cry again for what must be the fifth time today, and he just smiles, happy to see me well again.

"So," he asks, "what was the boy doing out of his house and why did you choose an alleyway?"

I take a deep breath before explaining as briefly as I can. "I found him outside the train station. He was going somewhere but I don't know where or why. I told him to forget the train and come with me. We went to a quiet place with no people and when I detonated the death unit, he didn't even put up a fight. He was remorseful, and he asked me to tell his... brother? I think? That he loves him. That's why I was late out of the radius. I was thinking about the kid."

He slowly nods his head thoughtfully before replying. "Please, you mustn't tell him. I'm sure the child knows that he is loved."

"Why can't I tell him?"

"Think about it, boy! That means you were with the chameleon when he died! Wouldn't that be at all suspicious?"

"But I would hate myself if I didn't grant his last wish! He was sorry!"

"Nonsense!" he cuts in. "He used you to keep his own bloodied hands clean! Don't tell me you feel guilty for not serving a serial killer?"

"But _I_ am a serial killer!" I shout. The realization only comes to me after I've said it. I've killed two people. Silver and Espio. I am a serial killer now too.

We both fall silent, and I decide to test my new foot by getting up off the sofa and running up the stairs to my room. I close the door and collapse onto my bed. I breathe in the scent of the sheets that I haven't done so much as touch for seven days, and I realize how much I've taken the little things for granted. I reach under my bed and pull out Maria's box, open the lid and stare. Maria wouldn't be proud. She'd hate me right now. The Shadow she knew was the Shadow who wouldn't let anybody tell him what to do. The Shadow who would stand his ground and not submit to the people who wanted to cause harm. And now I'm weak. And I've only ever caused destruction. I should never have been created. This is who I am, and Maria is disappointed in me, I just know it.


	71. Chapter 71

**\--Vanilla POV--**

Another student has gone missing. This time it was Espio. Only his clothes and some strange capsule remained, according to the news. Last seen by Knuckles, who saw him storming out of his house after arguing with his father. My form is getting smaller and smaller by the month and I can't help but wonder if the cause lies within this school. The targets sure are specific. I decided it might be a good idea to discuss the deaths and disappearances with the senior leadership team, so I organized a meeting. Omega, Omochao, Antoine, Professor Pickle and I sit around the largest table in Omochao's physics classroom, the living of us sipping hot tea and eating sandwiches.

"How dare they call this culinary concoction food?" Pickle begins. "Look here, do you see this sorry excuse for a sandwich? The bread should be no less than three quarters of an inch thick. Upon it, one tablespoon of mayonnaise and a pinch of black pepper. The contents, FRESH cucumber, sliced THINLYif you please! Am I quite right, Antoine?"

Antoine shrugs his shoulders. "I know I learned something 'ere today!"

"Oh please, Professor, students are going missing, Omega is getting abuse from all the robot critics under the sun, and all you can find to complain about is a sorry excuse for a sandwich?" I scold.

"Well," Antoine trails off, "she does 'ave a point, monsieur."

"Then what do you suggest we do, Ms Vanilla?" Omochao chirps. I sigh and shake my head. This really is such a hopeless situation. I'm not sure there is a lot we can do other than pray that things turn for the better.

Omega speaks for the first time this meeting. "I suggest that you flesh-bags ditch the tea, turn on the gas taps and get high on methane whilst you still have the opportunity."

"Oh don't be silly, Omega," Professor Pickle says, rolling his eyes.

"Why is that silly, Pickle? And even if it is silly, it'll stop you complaining about that sandwich. I tell you, if I had lungs, methane isn't the only thing I'd be getting high on right about now."

"And what good would that do for your reputation?" I ask. I get no answer. "Anyway Omega, you really ought to get going. The police interviewers will be here any minute. Meeting dismissed."

The other four teachers stand from their seats and walk out of the classroom in single file, and I follow a little while behind, checking my hair in the glass of the window. If there's going to be a police visit then I might as well make myself look good and pray that it'll work slightly in my favour and I won't end up like Omega. But still, as a last minute action, I wait until the others are out and duck down to a gas tap, breathing in as much methane as I can take because I know that my futile attempts at getting this school's reputation back on track are well shot by now.

**\--Sonic POV--**

I watch Shadow stare out of the window of the dorm at the police cars and the Chaotix pulling into campus. He sighs, and turns around to face me, with an expression on his face that I don't quite recognize.

"I don't suppose you own a firearm that can blast through a skull, do you?" he sighs.

"No...?" I reply. "Why would I? What happened?"

"Everything happened."

He slumps down on his bed and puts his head in his hands. I sit beside him.

"Everything happened," he repeats, before telling me a story. A very detailed and complicated story, and by the end of it it's less of a story and more of a panicky rant. And all I can do is gawp at him, refusing to believe my ears. Refusing to believe that everything, from Silver's disappearance to Espio's murder, can all be traced back to Shadow? I remember Mighty coming to form this morning and Vector asking him if he'd seen the news. I witnessed a mental breakdown this morning, and even then I couldn't believe that the last he heard was a "brb" and then he was gone forever. Mighty and I used to be good friends back in Year 7, and this morning, after the entire room of twenty something people watched his whole life shatter into a billion pieces, I knew that whoever killed Espio would have my hate directed right at them for as long as they live.

But it was Shadow? And he didn't even want to?

And now the Chaotix are here and they're going to interview everyone with the police on standby. And Shadow and I agree that that really isn't fair. Then again, nobody would be as dedicated as them to finding out who killed their kid.

"Sonic, I... shouldn't have told you all that. Because now I'm going to have to ask you to keep it secret and I don't want you to have to lie," Shadow admits.

"I would because most of it wasn't even your fault but... what you did to Silver..."

"Please, Sonic. He was dangerous."

I think about the situation, and yes, Shadow may have fucked up there but I can't say I blame him. I'll keep quiet for him.

"CAN SONIC FELGATE PLEASE GO TO MEETING ROOM THREE TO BE INTERVIEWED. THANK YOU."

Shadow and I stare at each other for a moment after the loudspeakers shut off. Why am I the first person the Chaotix want to interview? Though the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Four people from Green Hill have died. Silver, Manic, Eggman and Espio. And it's a known fact that I hated both Eggman and Manic, and the other two slept in this very room. Of course they'll want to speak to me about all of this.

"Just pretend I didn't tell you anything, okay?" Shadow asks. I nod my head and stand up off his bed. This morning, I had no idea what was going on. How hard can it be to forget ten or fifteen minutes of conversation? Surely it'd be easy.


	72. Chapter 72

**\--Sonic POV--**

I run as fast as I can down the stairs and I arrive at Meeting Room Three in about half a second. I know running like this isn't allowed but people have stopped caring and nobody's around anyway. I find the door to the meeting room slightly ajar, and I realize that the Chaotix probably don't even know I'm here yet. I stand outside the door and find myself eavesdropping on them until they call me in.

"This capsule... it must have something to do with his death."

"It could just be somethin' 'e brought with 'im."

"No, Raster, no. If Espio owned something like this, don't you think I would have found out?"

"That's some claim dere Lace, seein' as 'im and Mighty were friends for months and yeh 'ad no clue 'bout it."

"Well if you're so clever, how about you take a look?"

"Ight then, toss it."

"Well?"

"By 'eck..."

"What?"

"Dis looks like one o' dem 'eal unit things from Robotnik's basement! Just a little... different."

"Heal unit?"

"Well I didn't tell yeh 'bout 'em, seein' as I didn't think they'd be of a lotta relevance teh a murder."

"Are you kidding me? So now we have to interview Sonic for the sake of it even though we have a very good idea as to who did this? You should have said something earlier..."

I quickly step to the side when I see a hand reach for the door handle. The door opens and a tall, dark purple chameleon pokes his head around the side.

"Ah, Sonic, you're here already?" he greets, looking slightly uneasy. "Come on in."

I follow the Chameleon into the meeting room and he gestures for me to sit across from himself and none other than Raster Chasquido.

"Mornin' Sonic," Raster says. "Mah name's Raster if yeh didn't know, and this 'ere's mah colleague Lacer. We're gon' be interviewin' yeh today and we're gon' record everythin' we say teh each other on this voice recorder 'ere. Yeh understand?"

I nod my head, and prepare myself to lie like I've never lied before. I watch as Lacer clicks on the recorder and I suddenly panic, asking myself why the hell I agreed to this. But it's for a good friend. I have to stick to my word.

**\--Shadow POV--**

I pace around the room, frustratedly cursing under my breath and constantly checking the window to see if any more police have showed up. Why did I tell him? Why the hell would I put that sort of weight on him minutes before the interviews were due to start? I flop onto my bed again and groan into my pillow. What's wrong with me?

I look up from my pillow at Espio and Silver's bunk. I sleep on my left side. It's the first and last thing I'll see every day I'm living here. A constant reminder that I'm the reason those beds are empty. And then the world tears. Like a rip in the middle of the room. Where have I seen this before...?

_I'm hallucinating._

The rip turns into a portal-looking thing, and then I remember exactly what this is. This is a time portal. Exactly like the one that Silver created back in February. I slowly stand up and walk towards the portal, and reach out to touch it, but it repels against my hand. And then I see a figure on the other side, and I dive out of the way to let it through.

It takes me a few seconds to recognize him. I've seen some shit on Blueit Fifty Fifty. The gore from Princess Elise failed to faze me. But this... I feel my stomach churn when I realize the reality I'm stood in right now. Staring right at the boy I was convinced I killed. Silver glares at me. His white fur is matted and covered in dried blood. His gloves are stained dark red. And the part of him that I fail to look at for any longer than a couple of seconds without gagging, his head, is caved in and infected on the left side and is oozing yellow fluid and... maggots.

"You're... still alive?" I ask shakily, in an attempt to confirm that I must be hallucinating.

"I always have been."

He looks down at his hands, and I follow his gaze to the green Chaos emerald clasped in his stained gloves. I go to ask him how he got it, but I'm shoved into the bedpost before I can ask. With the help of the Chaos emerald, I'm bound to the post with the blue, which is a lot weaker than it was, but the Chaos energy alongside still keeps me stuck in place.

"You'll regret not killing me there and then, Shadow," he sneers.

"But... why come to this time? Why not before?"

"Oh, I don't know, suspense?" he teases. "I want my revenge."

Silver raises the Chaos emerald above his head, and he only gets to pronounce the first syllable of the chant before I cut him off.

"No! Please, Silver, you've already had your revenge! I swear!" I plead, completely ditching the tough guy shell that I've always worn. Because Espio was right. Wearing a mask will only ever bring trouble. "I know it might not seem like it to you but I've suffered enough!"

Silver pauses, and then slowly lowers the Chaos emerald.

"So he begs for forgiveness?"

I stay silent.

"Something has changed you."

I still stay silent.

"Very well. But if this is an act, it's a damn good one. You'd better be sorry, Shadow," he says, staring at me, pitying my existence, and I pity his. I _am_ sorry. If I could go back in time and reverse what I did to him, I would. I know I would.

And suddenly I understand why Silver came here in the first place. He changed the past for the sake of the future. He was selfless enough to care, and risk destroying the world in order to save it, and at the end, if things did go wrong, he could at least say he tried. He's not a danger to time. He's a hero. And I almost killed him.

"I'm sorry," I whisper, with full truth in my words, and Silver hears it and nods his head. He turns around and jumps back through the portal. The tear in the room seals itself, and I'm left alone in a dorm made for four, with a plan forming in my head. A hypocritical plan, but it's a plan none the less.


	73. Chapter 73

**\--Shadow POV--**

I run outside of the dorm block and tear across campus avoiding the police and the other students, and stop at the fence at the side of Communication. I look around, praying that nobody will see me, and I slowly open the gate, step into the bushes, and my heartbeat quickens to what must be an unhealthy rate when the purple Chaos emerald isn't there. I panic, looking around me, frantically searching the bushes, and then a female voice startles me.

"Looking for this?"

I spin around and see Rouge, flying above me, tossing the emerald up and down.

"I need that," I pant.

"Not until you tell me why. A treasure hunter won't give up her findings that easily."

I glare at her, pouting at her for being so difficult. "Please, Rouge, don't make me explain for the second time today. I need that emerald."

She flies down to me, holding the emerald against her chest as if it's a precious child. "How about... no?"

"I swear to god, Rouge, you have no idea how important this is!" I shout with rage. "I have things to change!"

Rouge looks up from the emerald at me, analyzing my face and slowly piecing everything together. I know exactly what she's thinking. Multiple murders. A Chaos emerald. Things to change. Don't make me explain. It's not exactly hard to figure out.

"You mean..."

"Yes. That's exactly what I mean and I'm going to change it all because I'm sorry. Now give me the emerald before everyone in the world turns against me."

She smiles. "Oh, Shadow, when will you learn?"

"...Huh?"

"If you're going to try to change the past, you're gonna need a little help," she says. I stare at her, astounded by what I think this means. She's going to help me?

"I... I guess...?"

She takes my hand. "Even if you believe everyone is against you, know that I'll always remain by your side. Remember that. Now tell me. How in the hell are we going to do this?"

Rouge's question stops me in my tracks for a minute. How _are_ we going to do this? I guess there's more than one way. We could jump back in time, but then that would create an endless loop, and infinite copies of myself, Rouge, and the Chaos emerald, and then we'd have to make sure we're not seen by anyone, especially our past selves. But then there's a chance we could rewind time until the end of February and restart from there. But would we keep a memory of the future?

After a few minutes of thinking, I decide that it would be better to rewind than risk creating an infinite loop of disasters. The emerald with my own Chaos energy supporting it should be more than enough to push back time a couple of months. After all, Silver could jump back over two hundred years and he was severely weakened. I put out my hand and Rouge places the emerald in it, and cups my fingers around it.

"I'm helping you, Shadow. Whether you like it or not."

I nod, and together we raise the emerald above our heads, but we're stopped.

"OI! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

I almost drop the emerald from shock, and my eyes dart to the left, where a policeman begins sprinting towards us.

"Quick, Shadow! It's now or never!" Rouge shouts, thrusting the emerald back upwards. We both take a deep breath.

"CHAOS CONTROL!"

Another tear opens another portal, and I repeat the days I wish to rewind over and over again in my head.

_Sixty days. Sixty days. Sixty days._

Rouge and I grip tightly onto the Chaos emerald and sprint towards the portal. I look over my shoulder just before we leap in, and watch the policeman reach out to grab us. He misses. The two of us fall into the portal and watch it close around us, repelling the policeman when he tries to jump in after us. We float in darkness, watching the surroundings whiz past us, flying backwards through time. And then we're pulled apart. The Chaos emerald in one direction, Rouge in another, and me in the other. Rouge reaches out to me, and screams my name, but I don't hear her. I only see her mouth move. And then I'm sent spinning downwards towards a sparkly white floor, and I land perfectly on both feet, now with a fluffy coat wrapped around me, dragging my feet along the floor through the half-melted snow on the way to somewhere, leaving elongated footprint trails behind me. I watch the gray liquid fold over the ends of my shoes, chilling my toes and flowing away sideways, like cooling lava weaving around rocks. I pull my coat around me, and throw the hood over my head, blocking out the glaring sunlight and I finally realize where I am.

I'm here.

* * *

**END OF PART ONE**

* * *

**Author note:** I have just been made aware that people have actually read this fanfiction all the way through and are now looking forward to a Part 2. I do have the intention of writing a sequel to Green Hill Academy sometime in the future, however I'm currently caught up in studying for my exams and I'm also completing another fanfiction project alongside Part 2 of this one. As a consequence, it may be a long while before I complete the sequel to Green Hill Academy, so please don't get your hopes up because depending on even more external factors that would take me forever to go in to, it may not even happen. :)

And to all of you who got here, thank you so much for even clicking on my fanfiction. This was my first fanfiction project and to have such positive feedback really means the world. Thank you <3

**Another note:**

Welp everything's going to shit in the real world and I barely have any time left at all so honestly it could be years before anything else happens. I think I'm going to abandon this project for now.


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